Never Let This Go
by Kyoshi Slickfish
Summary: After sharing a passionate kiss, Rukia feels alone and depressed in Soul Society as her reiatsu still hasn't returned. When an alluring stranger offers her the chance to be with Ichigo again, she gives everything up to be with him in the living world.
1. Never Let This Go

**I do not own Bleach. inspired by Paramore. set right after Aizen's betrayal of Soul Society.  
**

maybe if my heart stops beating, it won't hurt this much  
please don't get me wrong  
because i'll never let this go  
but i can't find the words to tell you i don't want to be alone

* * *

**Never Let This Go**

**Chapter One:  
Never Let This Go**

"Nii-sama would probably kill me if he heard me talking like this," Kuchiki Rukia sighed to herself. She held her hands to her chest, clutching them so tight that her knuckes turned white. Realizing she was losing feeling in her hands, she loosened her grip, but her gaze darted from the green ground to the orange sky above her. Her newfound freedom didn't exactly make her feel free now. She couldn't find answers anywhere, only things that reminded her of the thoughts that plagued her continuously ever since she was incarcerated. Even now, as she walked away from her latest visit to see her brother in the Fourth Division hospital, he wouldn't get out of her head.

* * *

"Rukia," Kuchiki Byakuya said, his dark eyes never leaving hers. Although Rukia wasn't used to his attentions, she felt like she could stand the weight of his gaze. Byakuya took Rukia's hand in his, feeling her flinch at his touch. It was strange to try to be open about personal things, "comforting" Byakuya supposed that's what people called it, but there was something familiar and soothing when he saw her small hand encassed in his palm. He looked at Rukia's face, her eyes conveying a slight hesitation and apprehension instead of...Byakuya didn't know. He didn't know exactly what his wife wanted him to do with Rukia once he located her or how he was supposed to raise her. All he knew were rules and that Hisana died long before she was supposed to. And that he never came to terms with how difficult it would be to look into her face and not be reminded of the pain.

"Nii-sama?" Rukia asked quietly, her brows wrinkling at their hands, her much smaller hand still encompassed by his rougher one.

Byakuya released his hold on Rukia to fold his hands on his lap. "I've offered my apology after the fight with the boy, and now if I may, I will offer some advice." Rukia nodded, her eyes wide with attention. Byakuya supposed that she was used to looking to him for guidance, and although his first thoughts told him that she looked somewhat pathetic, an innocence radiating from the bottoms of Rukia's violet eyes reminded him of Hisana's essence that captured him so long ago. He remembered what he did to fight for her, and now Byakuya wanted to point out something Rukia needed to acknowledge now.

"There are things that..." He stopped.

"This life is short, well maybe not for us but..." Byakuya wrinkled his eyebrows together, not sure exactly what he wanted to say. The smaller Kuchiki only gazed at him with those wide, incredibly reminiscent eyes, making it harder for the captain to form his sentences. He grunted loud, determined to get his point across, but only hurt his sides in the process.

"Nii-sama, it's alright," Rukia said, quickly stepping close to his side and easing him back onto his pillow. "You can tell me later, I promise I will listen to what you have to say."

The elder gripped her shoulder tightly. "That's the thing, you might not have the time for it," he said quietly. Byakuya's dark eyes burned into Rukia's gaze, and the girl could only nod. Taking a deep sigh, Byakuya continued to speak. "Rukia, you've never been very straightforward when it comes to Soul Society. Perhaps I am partly to blame, but this life is too short for words to go unsaid, and too long when you have nothing to live for. I hope that with this second gift of life, you will go for the things you want. You are worth it Rukia, you don't need to feel guilty anymore."

"Nii-sama, I don't quite understand what you are getting at," she replied slowly, almost fearful of punishment for not comprehending.

"Take it as it is, I am not about to try to rephrase that," Byakuya said flatly. His sister could only smile at his effort, but it didn't make her feel any better. "Don't you think that if someone fought so hard for you, that they were trying to give you what you've been denying yourself of for so long?"

Rukia shrugged silently. Now that she was a free woman again, the mystery of Kurosaki was at the top of the list of things she wanted to sort out. In order for her to decide exactly what she could be worhy of, she needed to figure out what she wanted first, but Rukia wasn't exactly the type to put herself first anyway.

"Just make sure you do what you have to do before I get to my own business with the boy," Byakuya said, his eyes narrowing at Rukia, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Nii-sama," she stammered.

However, with a wave of his hand, Byakuya dismissed her from the room when Unohana entered to check on her fellow Captain. Now walking off to the outskirts of Rukongai, she struggled with admitting out loud that her own brother correctly called out the fact that she couldn't get a certain orange-haired boy out of her head.

* * *

The short statured shinigami, or ex-shinigami since Rukia hadn't felt an ounce of reiatsu in at least three months, definitely felt it. Maybe she would never gain her powers again, but Rukia felt ready for a permanent vacation from shinigami work. After spending a hundred years in Soul Society, two months trapped in a gigai in the living world, and one month as a prisoner about to be executed, Rukia just wanted to find a moment of peace where she could sort out her feelings. Whatever it specifically were enamorous feelings or the need to express her gratitude, she wasn't sure, but it was something big enough to disturb her at night. She couldn't go to sleep with the weight of how much her friends had suffered at her expense, just to rescue her from a fate from which she accepted with a false sense of righteousness. And as Rukia tried desperately so many times to piece together her life, for some reason, Kurosaki Ichigo always managed to undo her reasoning. Whether he knew it or she realized it, everything he did to rescue her plagued Rukia's mind each free moment of the last week since Aizen's betrayal.

Rukia was slowly...cautiously...reluctantly...admitting to herself that she had somewhat fallen for the orange-haired wonder. She couldn't deny it after reviewing, for the hundredth time, all of the things he endured to rescue her. She couldn't deny the sweetness at the root of it all.

"I can't believe I'm thinking like this."

With another sigh, Rukia continued her trek to the Shiba household, the two hands standing proud in the distance and the sound of two siblings fighting could be heard from the immediate horizon. Up until she saw the looming home, Rukia's thoughts revolved around her confusing thoughts about Strawberry-baka. Now her heart sped up and her eyes widened at the prospect of having to face what she had avoided for years. However, Rukia knew she had been blessed with the opportunity to stand before the Shiba family and face her past. If she was going to move on from this whole ordeal, it was best to start with baby steps.

_"What business do you have here?"_

* * *

Her apology went smoother and easier than she expected, despite the throbbing in her nose. Kuukaku had one hell of a jab, and Rukia could've sworn there was still blood running down the front of her face. Of course, nothing compared to the feeling of relief of the burden she carried for so many years.

"Here, use this to stop the bleeding, Kuchiki," the one-armed woman barked. She offered a folded pad of white gauze, which Rukia noted, looked suspicously close to the ones wrapped around several parts of Kuukaku's body. Rukia took it without hesitation, however, and while she patted her sore nose, Kuukaku's attention went to something in the distance.

"Ah, there you are," came a smooth voice.

Rukia's heart pounded once more. "Baby steps," she reminded herself.

Ichigo and Inoue came to tell her to rest for tomorrow's trip through the dimensional gate, but Rukia figured if she was on a confessional roll, then she might as well go full speed ahead.

"I've decided to...stay in Soul Society," Rukia said quietly.

Ichigo had no response right away. Instead, he stared intensely at Rukia as a breeze passed over them. It was as if Soul Society was breathing for her. Rukia didn't bother trying to figure out what Ichigo was thinking; he always surprised her in the end anyway. She just silently wished that his eyes weren't so sharp and piercing.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he finally said, breaking the silence. A smile crossed Ichigo's lips, and it contageously passed to Rukia. "I remember now, the reason why I wanted to save you so much..."

Rukia's heart jumped into her throat. Of all of the things she thought about while locked away, she mostly pondered why Ichigo would put himself through such tribulationsfor her. She tried to curse herself for feeling flustered once again, but she couldn't command her body. Ichigo's words floated listlessly in her ears; they echoed on and on so Rukia couldn't control her pulse, couldn't decipher the meaning of his words, couldn't move, couldn't breathe. All she knew was that his smile was making her melt on the inside while she tried her hardest to look composed. Somehow, he became her hero and made a place for himself in her heart.

Kuukaku, however, wouldn't have the Kuchiki break down during her time of soul-searching on her front lawn. She threw an arm around Ichigo; he certainly had gotten stronger since she cannonballed him into Seireitei, and she knew growing boys needed one thing to keep them in top shape.

"You better come in and eat before you go. Everyone wants to see you!" she said. Her eyes darted to Rukia. "You too, Kuchiki."

Not wanting to upset the fiery woman, the three headed into the house with Rukia following last. Before she could face anyone, Rukia needed time for the blush to recede from her cheeks.

* * *

Thanking the Shibas again for a wonderful meal, with Kuukaku threatening to punch her again if she uttered another thanks, Rukia left to go back to the immense Kuchiki residence. The moon shone its pure white light, guiding the raven-haired shinigami home, but Rukia's small steps confirmed that she wasn't exactly in a hurry. She giggled to herself at the thought of Ganju straddling Ichigo for the last piece of cake, but the bridge of her nose hurt from the punch she received at the beginning of the evening.

"What's so funny, Short Stack?"

"I was just wondering if it was worth taking out Zangetsu for that chocolate cake," Rukia replied, not bothering to turn around. She stopped walking, feeling like they were a way out from the Shiba home, and gazed up at the full moon.

"Anything you want is worth fighting for," Ichigo replied, walking up next to Rukia. He nudged her lightly with his elbow. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Rukia smirked and held herself tight, her fingers tracing over her ribs where Ichigo tapped her. "You would say that," she replied before closing her eyes and breathing in the night.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Ah...nothing in particular," replied Rukia.

"What are you thinking about now?"

"...Nothing..."

"Is there something you want to think about?"

Rukia turned to Ichigo slowly. She studied his profile; Rukia always knew she was shorter in stature, but she never really took in the fact that Ichigo was so damn tall. She was used to the crease in his eyebrows, making his amber eyes look as striking as an eagle scouting its prey in the dark. Ichigo had a relatively small nose for his big, fat, swollen head (in Rukia's opinion), and her eyes travelled down to look over his lips, to finally, his square jaw. There was no mistaking the skill from the Fourth Division; after a few days of healing, Ichigo certainly didn't look like he was in a civil war and came close to dying on more than one occasion.

The studied man looked at Rukia out of the corner of his eye. She seemed pretty intent on him, and he couldn't help thinking it, but her violent eyes looked heavenly under the moon. Ichigo felt like they were burning into his soul, and he quickly looked away, almost like he was afraid she could read his mind. Of course, Rukia was probably the one person who knew the most about him, and he probably would never say it out loud, he appreciated all that she had given him. He appreciated everything she was and meant to him.

Smoothly, Rukia reached up a hand and touched Ichigo's face. It was a stretch, but he felt her soft fingers graze the bottom of his chin. Amazingly, it sent electrifying chills down to his toes. "Midget...Rukia...what're you...?"

"I was just thinking about," she said absentmindedly. Then she socked him across the chin. "Where the best place to punch you would be!"

With those last words, she started off in a sprint across the field of golden wheat and knee-length grass. The echo of her laughter in the night trailed behind her, teasing Ichigo, beckoning him to make chase. To him, Rukia sounded genuinely happy for once.

It wasn't hard for him to catch up to the shorter woman, but he chased her out of fun, not bothering to really catch her. He watched her form as it dashed in the moonlight; her hair floated around her face, her porcelein complexion glowing in the dark, her slim figure visible under her violet kimono as it twisted with each step. And the whole time, she was laughing. Ichigo couldn't help but smile, occasionally reaching out to brush her hair, her hand, or the sash around her waist with his fingertips.

"Ohh I'm just a helpless little girl being chased by an ugly and scary Strawberry! Oh saaaave me, please save me, I'm trembling!" Rukia fake cried. She waved her hands in the air for emphasis.

"Oh hell no," Ichigo growled. He lost at least half of his blood to save the ungrateful Midget, and there was no way she was getting away with teasing him about it. Ichigo concentrated his reiatsu.

Rukia didn't hear the footsteps chasing her. She honed her senses, but didn't feel Ichigo anymore. Slowing her pace, she looked over her shoulder and caught the flash of Ichigo to her right. She braced herself for impact, but Ichigo instanteously switched positions to her left. Using his shunpo and his opponent's confusion, Ichigo grabbed Rukia, wrapped his arms around her waist, and sent them both rolling on the grass. With a triumphant grin, he rolled himself on top of Rukia, pinning her arms to each side of her head.

"Sorry Nubby, looks like no one is coming to save you," Ichigo smirked, his voice low and husky.

Rukia struggled against his grip, but to no avail. His hands easily wrapped around each of her wrists, but he didn't secure any of her lower body. Rukia tucked her knees in, tried to get her feet on his stomach to push the larger man off, but could only get good leverage on his thighs. She kicked, causing Ichigo to lose his balance and flop down on top of her.

"Oof!" she huffed, her eyes growing wide as she felt their bodies clash together. Not only was Ichigo's body heavy, but it also felt solid. Rukia never really thought about how his lean body was probably all made of muscle. Her hands pushed against Ichigo's chest, its firmness creating a blush in her cheeck as they travelled up to clutch his broad shoulders, all in an attempt to move him before she was crushed.

Ichigo only laughed and let go of his hostage. He sat up next to Rukia, who didn't bother moving from the ground, and casually rested his arms on his legs. It felt good to laugh, especially after this past month. "So...how do you feel?" he asked.

"Worried," Rukia replied. She tucked her hands under her head, admiring the stars. "I can't believe Aizen is still out there, hell-bent on destroying Soul Society."

Ichigo scoffed. "Well, I was thinking more along the lines of how do you feel about your handsome, chivalrous rescuer and how awesome are your friends who kicked some major Shinigami ass to save you."

"I don't think I could ever apologize enough for what you've all been through," Rukia frowned.

Ichigo leaned over and squeezed the tender muscle right above Rukia's knee, causing her to twitch violently in reflex. She kicked out her leg to hit Ichigo, but he blocked the attack with his forearm. There was still a little sting. "You have got to stop being so lame and accept that you're worth saving, Shortness. And if you weren't sentenced for execution, no one in Soul Society would have known about Aizen's plan."

"Oh okay, thanks. That makes me feel a lot better," she replied, rolling her eyes. Rukia poked Ichigo in his side. "Although you did look quite heroic flying in the air all bandaged, about to destroy one of the most historic and powerful weapons in Soul Society. Thank you for that Fire Head, I think all of my fantasies came true in that instance."

The orange-haired shinigami smirked back at her. "I knew you fantasized about me."

Rukia's cheeks exploded in a hot blush. "No I do not! I think you're-"

"It's okay, I know you've snuck peeks of me from the closet when I'm changing."

"Ichigo-BAKA!" Rukia screamed, her fists in a barrage of attacks aimed at Ichigo's face.

She was only met in response with Ichigo's laughing as he easily blocked her fists. "Hey, hey...I saved you, remember?" he laughed. He held her wrists once more until Rukia stopped squirming. She stayed sitting upright, lazily leaning against Ichigo for support. Feeling Ichigo against her, his strong reiatsu rejuvenating her now that she was free from Urahara's gigai, Rukia both appreciated and hated the fact that Ichigo was there for her. She never wanted to senselessly lose him like how she had lost Kaien-dono.

"Rukia?" she heard Ichigo calling her name. His amber eyes were locked on her, burning with a sincerity and full of concern like when he stopped the Soukyoku. Although she joked about it, deep inside, Rukia would never forget that look on his face for the rest of her afterlife. She would give anything for Ichigo to look at her like that always. For once, she felt like someone loved her, not necessarily in a romantic way, but where she felt like someone truly moved for her. A blush crept over her face.

"Oi Stumps, I want to tell you something," Ichigo repeated for the third time. He grinned nervously, running a hand through his hair. "I...I want to thank you for everything you've given me."

"Ichigo, really I-"

"Don't interrupt when someone is trying to thank you," he snapped. Ichigo sighed and tried to focus on the sky above. "I've always felt horrible ever since my mother died. I still blame myself, and I felt useless because I couldn't protect anyone, but at least now, thanks to you, I have the powers to protect my friends. I think...at least I dare to think, that my Mom would be proud of me. I know it was probably selfish of me when I asked you to let me be a Shinigami longer, not knowing of the consequences you were facing from Soul Society. And I know disrespected your wishes when I came to rescue you after you surrendered yourself to Renji and Byakuya."

Ichigo threw an arm around Rukia's shoulders and bopped the tip of her nose with his free index finger, pressing her into his side. Rukia's face felt warm. "I just wanted to thank you, Rukia. I didn't know so much inspiration could come from something so short."

Ichigo braced himself for a quick hit, but Rukia only laughed. He never felt comfortable around others, especially girls, but Rukia was different. She was truly his first close friend. A comfortable silence passed over them, and Rukia still snuggled against Ichigo under his arm. _"Maybe I did do something right for once,"_ she smiled to herself.

Suddenly, Rukia felt overwhelmed by sadness. As attached she felt to Ichigo, and after all they had been through as a team, she remebered that he had to go back to the human world in the morning. Once more, her heart was betraying her head as tears began to run down her cheeks. She lowered her head to hide her face with her hair, but Rukia still felt foolish for feeling so much for a human, a boy, and a friend.

"It's really beautiful here," Ichigo said absentmindedly, still gazing at the sky. When he didn't get a response, he looked down at the girl at his side. "Rukia, are you ok?"

Her head bobbed up and down, but he still couldn't see her. Slowly, cautiously, Ichigo touched a few strands of her hair. Rukia didn't move away. He ran his fingers through the raven tendrils, feeling the soft sensations tickle his fingertips and moving them out of the way. Just as he was surprised at how he enjoyed the feel, Ichigo was surprised at the tears lining her face. Rukia looked away to hide them. Once more, Ichigo felt dwarfed by her inner turmoil, never really knowing the best way to comfort someone as he always hid his true feelings inside.

"Rukia," he said softly, trying to turn her head towards him. She only resisted. "Hey Rukia, it's okay."

"Strawberry," she finally replied. Rukia furiously rubbed her eyes with her sleeve, then blazed them against Ichigo's amber ones. For some reason, her heart was pounding in her chest, a storm of emotions brewing inside of her. "I will get stronger, and then I'll show you. I'm never going to say this again, but I will miss you a lot when you go back to the living world. And in the meantime, I will train so when you see me next, I can show you my true powers."

In an instant, Rukia threw her arms around Ichigo's neck, grasping him tightly. She could feel the heat of his reiatsu making her dizzy, but Rukia was used to how Ichigo confused her, riled her, invigorated her. Pulling back slightly, she saw his infamous lop-sided grin, and a smile crossed her face as she studied his firm lips framing white teeth. She couldn't deny that she thought about Ichigo everyday in prison, she talked about him to Hanatarou, and she dreamed about him at night. It all made sense now; Rukia knew her heart had betrayed and abandoned her for Ichigo a long time ago, perhaps even as far back as when she surrendered her powers to him. Although Byakuya said she had been given the gift of life again, Kurosaki Ichigo was the reason she felt alive.

"Your stupid smile," Rukia whispered, her hands framing his face. Was she mistaken that she could make him blush as much as she was? She could swear her heart pounded against her chest so hard it also hit Ichigo as she pressed against him, and his arms encircled her waist instinctively, steadying her.

Rukia leaned forward and kissed his cheek. She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable, while she was still contemplating how she would handle her newly realized feelings. At the moment, Rukia just wanted to be close to him. Pressing her mouth to his ear, she whispered in a waivering voice before returning her arms around his neck to embrace him again. "You saved me, Ichigo."

Feeling her breath against his ear sent those electrifying shivers throughout his body, Ichigo didn't know how many times it was now. He hadn't been thinking about it because he felt at home in Soul Society, but he was starting to think it was because Rukia was there with him, like he was used to. But after tomorrow, he'd have to be seperated from his sidekick, his closet hobbit, the firey Kuchiki Rukia. One of his arms stayed wrapped around her tiny waist as his other hand wandered back to her raven hair, resting at the back of her head, attracted to the feel of its softness. His face felt hot, but damn, he wished he could save Rukia from lots of other perils.

The pair stayed entwined for a bit, neither knowing what to do next, only knowing that they were feeling good. Rukia pulled away and rubbed her eyes again. She smiled before getting up to her feet. "Walk me to my mansion, Berry," she said. "I might get attacked again, and it's your job to save me."

Rukia outstretched her hand, which Ichigo took with a grin. "What would you do without me, Stumps?" he said while rising. Ichigo's eyes never left Rukia's violet orbs, even though he towered a foot above her.

"I wouldn't get into half as much mischief as I do with you, Berry."

"As if you could keep up with me Nubby," he replied. Ichigo turned and immediately started into a trot.

Rukia, however, did not follow him. Instead, she stood with her hands on her hips, a pout piercing Ichigo's conscience. "You're supposed to escort me...to my brother's place..."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "And that's supposed to entice me how?"

Rukia shook her fist at him menacingly. "Okay, okay I'm terrified," he said, holding his hands up.

It was the shorter girl's turn to smirk. She strutted towards Ichigo, each step making his heart pound, but he couldn't help but smile as well. He held out his arm; if the girl needed an escort, then he couldn't deny her. He was a hero, after all. Arm in arm, the pair strolled through Soul Society into the dimly lit walled city of Seireitei.

"This must be your stop," Ichigo said, his head tilting up to take in the sight of the multi-level Kuchiki compound. "Only your brother could be in charge of such a forboding place."

"Be quiet, it's very beautiful inside."

"Well I'll have to take the grand tour the next time I'm in Soul Society, or at least when your brother isn't mad at me for kicking his butt anymore," he replied and then bowed low. "Even though I am the savior of this place, my humble abode is at the hospital, with the Fourth Division."

Rukia laughed and nodded back towards the looming building. "If you prefer a bit of nostalgia, I have a closet in my room that's the size of yours at home. I guarantee it's occupent-free at the moment."

"I'm not interested in pay back either," Ichigo replied.

"What are you interested in then?" blurted Rukia. Her face flushed as she instantly regretted the question.

Ichigo's breath caught in his throat. There were thousands of responses he could've used, but he could only stare at her. However, staring into the violet orbs was a challenge in itself. He reached out and hugged Rukia. The top of her head barely reached his collar bone.

"You, Midgey," he said quietly. "Lately, it's been all about you."

Rukia wrapped her arms around Ichigo's middle, leaning against his muscular chest, and taking in his scent. One of his hands took the familiar path around her waist, and the other finding its way through her hair. "I'm interested in your safety Rukia. I want you to be happy and make the sun shine for you...like you have for me."

_"Then tell me you'll stay, or I should go with you," _Rukia thought desperately. _ "Tell me you'll work this out with me. Work out...whatever we're supposed to do now..."_

"Ichigo," she whispered, her fingers clinging to his shinigami robes. Rukia moved her face upward to try to look him in his striking eyes, but Ichigo's hand cupped her cheek.

In truth, he couldn't stand to look at her at the moment. He felt so confused by the emotions pounding in his chest, and he didn't want to do anything he would regret. Holding Rukia's face to his chest, he closed his eyes and kissed her temple, his lips lingering on her skin. Suddenly, he felt dangerous. Ichigo wanted to taste more, to explore more of her with his lips, but at the moment, he felt like he couldn't trust himself.

"Rukia," he said in a low growl. "I'll wish you a goodnight now."

His fingers caught Rukia's hair and tugged so her face tilted up enough so he could gaze into her eyes. A soft moan escaped her lips at the suprise of his forcefulness. Although it wasn't too rough, it felt more exciting and like a flash of raw desire. Ichigo kissed her forehead and murmured "goodnight" into her hair. The next instant, he was gone.

Rukia stood breathlessly, her heart pounding in her ears. She felt something spark in Ichigo that she had never felt before, and her whole body wished that it was because of their embrace and the feel of lips on skin. Turning herself around, Rukia rushed inside the Kuchiki compound, her feet propelled up the stairs by the fire burning inside of her. She reached her room, burst through the double window doors, and clutched onto the balcony railings that overlooked the streets of Seireitei. Rukia's eyes zoomed on the head of blazing orange hair travelling on the dim path. She wouldn't stop staring until it disappeared with the night. Rukia figured that she needed to get used to the feeling of him walking away before morning.

Briskly walking away from the Kuchiki mansion, Ichigo clutched at his chest. He could've sworn he left it at Rukia's doorstep, but Ichigo's heart announced its presence through its irregular beating. He forced himself to not look back.

"I'm sorry Zangetsu," Ichigo muttered to himself. "There's going to be some rain tonight."

* * *

The walk to the official dimension gate seemed like a parade through the streets of Soul Society. Led by Captain Ukitake, many of the once enemies of the ryoka followed the newly-dubbed "Saviors" of their world, wanting to see them off. Komamura Sajin stood tall without his usual helmet, enjoying the breeze on his exposed face, the gentle Unohana Retsu smiled on, Abarai Renji had his arms crossed, Matsumoto Rangiku struggled to stand, leaning increasingly more on Hitsugaya Toshirou, and even Kuchiki Byakuya stood quietly as the gate began to glow. Rukia managed to avoid looking at Ichigo directly in his eyes all morning, and she chose to walk with her brother, concerning herself with helping the elder Kuchiki rather than acknowledging the weight Ichigo's gaze lay upon her.

Orihime ran up to Rukia, but Rukia felt too pre-occupied to understand what the orange-haired girl was saying. Suddenly, a white dress was thrown at her chest, and Rukia barely made out that it had something to do with Ishida. Her eyes were cast down towards the ground, the image blurring with the white of the dress fabric. Rukia was trying her hardest to control the rapid pumping of her heart and her irregular breathing around the lump forming in her throat. Her best friend was about to leave her, and she needed to decide the best course of action. Right now, it was a tie between crumping to the ground in a heap of tears or jumping his bones.

Rukia felt a hand squeeze her shoulder, and the warm wave of Ichigo's potent reiatsu engulfed her and went like a breeze flying past her, just as the man who owned it did as well. With his signature eyebrow arched mischieviously, Ichigo smirked over his shoulder. "See ya, Rukia," he said in that confident voice that made her knees weak. There was such sincere strength and warmth in his voice, Rukia wondered whether Ichigo knew of the wonders he naturally exuberated and how he had affected everyone standing at the cliff's edge.

He turned to face the glowing dimensional gate, which was a patch of shining white against the blue sky, and the flood suddenly broke inside of her. Rukia wasn't surprised when her violet eyes became cloudy in tears, the image of Ichigo's broad shoulders clothed in the black shinigami robes and his bright orange hair blazing against the blank background blurring before her. She had lost her powers, lost her freedom, and came deathly close to losing her life, but Byakuya's words solidified their meaning in Rukia's heart. She didn't want to let go of her best friend.

Rukia looked at his retreating form; this whole time she had been following Ichigo, watching his tremedous growth as a reliable man and partner. The feeling of being not worth saving was suddenly dwarfed by the want of having Ichigo near once more. She wanted to feel engulfed in his reiatsu like the night before, to feel strengthened and excited by his essence, to be filled by his courage and straightforwardness. Byakuya's words rang once more in her ears. Rukia didn't have the words to correctly express herself, how she didn't want him to leave and be alone, but she didn't need them right now.

"Ichigo!" she called, suprrised by the volume of her voice, and the called shinigami substitute looked over his shoulder. A twinge of fear crept into her mind and Rukia could feel the weight of everyone's stares, but she pushed it away. There was no turning back now in this life. Never again would she depend on others or fall behind her comrades, especially the ever-surprising Kurosaki Ichi-baka. Never again did she want to trail behind him, gazing at him in his shadows; never again did she want to see his back, especially when he was walking out of her life.

Clutching her hands to her chest, she ran forward, not meeting Ichigo's amber stare but focusing herself on the starch blackness of his robes. Slowly and carefully, as if approaching ancient cloth that might crumble with her touch, Rukia placed her hand on Ichigo's bicep, taking in how her small grasp barely wrapped around the side of his muscular arm. Rukia wondered if Ichigo was always so alluring, or if he had grown so much because of her, the latter thought amazing her even moreso. She figured if she kept holding onto his sleeve, he wouldn't go back to his world. Perhaps the longer she held onto him, she could capture the electricity flowing through her body for the rest of her days.

Elsewhere, the pair's friends became their audience. Giggling with glee, Matsumoto squeezed a very unhappy Hitsugaya into her busom, suffocating her captain while emitting random squeals. She still smelled like the sake she drank from the night before. On the human side, Inoue's eyebrows raised in surprise. She felt her heart speed up in her chest, amazed at the scene unfolding before her. Inoue was used to seeing herself and Ichigo in the same tender scene of their first and perfect kiss, but now she was watching it play out in front of her like a movie, with another woman in her place. A smile crossed her face. Still, it was a beautiful scene, despite the aching in her heart.

"Oi, Rukia," Ichigo said quietly. He looked quizzically at the short woman clutching at his sleeve. It wasn't like her to be so quiet.

Ichigo turned so he could face her square on, when a sudden and forceful tug doubled him over, and he was met with Rukia's lips. His breath was caught for more than one reason; it definitely got him off-guard, and Ichigo never expected his first kiss (well technically fourth or fifth after all the ones with Kon) to be instigated by Rukia. Ichigo wondered exactly where their friendship now stood and when the lines of romance began to blurr, but after last night, Ichigo knew he wasn't crazy. The electricity that sparked between them last night were burning strong today. Scenes of him dying, opponents fought, his blood spilling on the floor...many others flashed in his mind before he focused back on the fact that Rukia kissed him, probably wanted to kiss him for some time, and struggled internally whether or not to take action, judging by her strange behavior all morning.

Feeling slightly embarassed, but more flattered by her actions, Ichigo cleared the crazy throughts stirring in his mind, closed his eyes, and relaxed into her embrace. It wasn't so horrifying, as Ichigo always imagined. The pressures of having kisses be all romantic, have the perfect setting, and with the love of his life...Ichigo preferred this spontaneous attack of Rukia's feelings, although this was brewing for some time. For once, he would indulge in a hero's reward.

Rukia didn't care.

She felt the red heat of her blush creep onto her face after she pulled Ichigo down towards her, even after she rose on her tip toes to reach him. Licking her lips before the impact, Rukia was surprised and relieved that Ichigo's lips were softer than she imagined and they didn't pull away after they met. However, she wasn't an expert on kissing. Realizing she had only kissed Renji on a few innocent and stumbling occasions, panic grew from the pit of her stomach up to her throat. Rukia threw herself to chance, gripped onto his arm, and pulled away after a few heart-pounding seconds. It was quick and embarassing for her pride, but it was everything she wanted from him at the moment.

And apparently Ichigo didn't care either.

As she pulled away, he studied Rukia's face. She bit her lower lip as if punishing them for wanting to be kissed, and her violet eyes still hadn't met his gaze since she called his name. He grinned to himself; now he had a lot of ammo for the next time he'd be teasing her, but at the moment, he was happy for the entire experience in Soul Society and how they had grown together. Every obstacle he faced just to save Rukia and all of his turmoil were worth facing the challenge of these new feelings stirring inside him. The sun was ablaze in his inner world.

Tilting her chin upwards with his fingers, Ichigo finally caught Rukia's eyes. She looked almost terrified, but the look went away when she closed her eyes as Ichgo leaned down and captured her lips again. He encircled his free arm around Rukia's waist, supporting her body with his own by pressing against her small frame. He liked acting like a pillar of support for Rukia. Ichigo felt smooth, but his actions came natural as he wanted Rukia to feel as exhilirated as he did. He smirked into her kiss; she faintly tasted like strawberries, and mixed with the sheer softness of her lips, Ichigo let his tongue explore the wonders of lip balm.

Rukia emitted a soft moan when she felt the cool of his tongue during the heat of their exchange. She parted her mouth, hungrily wanting to taste him, and the growl echoing from the depth of his throat confirming that the feeling was mutual. Her curves folded into Ichigo's tall, solid body when he embraced her, and her hands helplessly grasped onto him as if their kiss was only fantasy. Ichigo's spiky hair tickled Rukia's palm as it clutched his neck, deepening their kiss, and she rubbed her other hand along his chest, the firmness of the muscle making her head spin more.

Finally parting for air, the two gazed at each other for a moment before completely unwrapping from each other. Ichigo flashed his brilliant smile, and Rukia only shook her head. "That big-mouth smile of yours, Berry," she said softly. He grinned even wider just to spite her. "I still don't forgive you, and I'm not going to say I'll be waiting for you. I have more important things to do right now."

Rukia smiled wide, closing her eyes. A single tear ran down her cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

Ichigo caressed her chin before turning towards his classmates who waited patiently. They still had a dimensional gate to go through. "That's my line," he called over his shoulder. "Thank you...Rukia."

Of the visitors, no one said another word until they crossed over to the other side of the dimensional gate. In Soul Society, Rukia watched as their figures were swallowed by the light, and then it was gone. She finally exhaled as the usual view over the cliff's edge returned, and the buzzing of the gate's spiritual energy was replaced by the sounds of retreating footsteps. Rukia covered her mouth with her hand, surpressing the need to cry out loud. No one dared to near her, feeling what little reiatsu she had dissipate pathetically into the atmosphere.

* * *

**I was listening to music and reading the manga when I was inspired to write this. I really wanted to capture romance between Rukia and Ichigo because I feel like it would naturally explode when they're both characters that don't really express themselves emotionally. Originally this chapter was meant to be a one-shot about a kiss (that I'll be patiently waiting for in the manga, sigh.) However, I wanted to use this to kick off a series of short stories I'm dubbing as the "Agent Wicked Series" that revolve around a mysterious character who shall transcend different series and cause havoc (ie, the series will include stories for GetBackers and another for Bleach about Inoue, so far.)**

**Next chapter shall be up soon!**


	2. Agent Wicked Appears

And never will I have to answer  
again to anyone  
Please don't get me wrong  
Because I'll never let this go

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Agent Wicked Appears**

"Yo Rukia, you haven't been the same since you've been pardoned from Death Row," grunted Renji, dropping down next to the much smaller woman. He had been watching her from the door of one of the academy's training rooms. While he had been standing there for about twenty minutes, Renji figured Rukia had already been practicing for hours, judging by her ragged breathing and sweat-soaked clothing. "If I were you, I would be doing cartwheels around Soul Society instead of trying to beat the reiatsu out of yourself."

Rukia didn't respond, she only lay on the hard wood floor, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Come on Rukia, you have to rest or else you'll never get your powers back," Renji urged. He offered her a cup of water, but Rukia didn't take it. "Those are Unohana-taicho's orders, you know."

Shooting him a cold glare, Rukia took the bamboo cup and allowed the cool liquid to quench her mouth. Suddenly, she felt tired and dehydrated. Her hands were burnt from trying to fire kido spells without reiatsu, aching from her fingers curling around the cup. She put it down on the floor. After Ichigo and the others departed, Byakuya kindly returned her zanpakuto to her, but only after she promised to rest for a few days before trying to train again. Since then, all efforts to regain her reiatsu, fire a successful kido spell, or unseal Sode no Shirayuki were futile.

"How long did that kook Urahara say it would take until you were yourself again?" Renji asked, breaking the silence. He knew Rukia better than anyone else in Soul Society, but it wasn't hard to tell that she had been nothing more of an empty shell since Ichigo left. "He said you can get your powers back once that thing was out of you and the gigai was destroyed, right?"

He didn't notice, but Rukia's eyes narrowed. She still hadn't gotten over the fact that said shop keeper basically used her and destroyed her powers, leaving her at the mercy of the living world. A shady move for the greater good of Soul Society, Rukia felt angry that she could be tossed around like a pawn. Never again. But for now, she wasn't forgiving herself for not regaining her powers. Never again did she want to be unable to fight for herself.

"I hear that the Eleventh Division is going to have a bonfire out by the Shiba place. There's sure to be booze and some black eyes, do you want to go with me?" Renji continued to speak, desperate for some kind of acknowledgement from his childhood friend.

"Fifteen days," she muttered. Rukia's voice seemed almost unfamiliar to him, as Rukia didn't talk much lately. He certainly noted that she took a page from Kurosaki's book and scrowled everywhere she went in Soul Society. At least hearing her voice was a better result than what Renji usually got from her: silence, a kick to the face/stomach/shin, or a combination of the previously mentioned. "It's been fifteen days, and still nothing. I'm beginning to think I'll never get my powers back."

Cautiously, Renji moved his hand to his friend's back, stroking it in small circles. Her muscles felt tight, and to his discomfort, Renji felt Rukia's spine, each vertebrae too pronounced on her small frame. Byakuya charged him to watch over Rukia's training sessions, but Renji now understood that he needed to monitor her personal welfare and make sure she was eating enough when she wasn't beating herself senseless. She must have it bad when Rukia was forgoing her favorite pasttime.

"I don't know what else to do, Renji," sighed Rukia. "I hate feeling so...weak."

"Have you told your brother how you're feeling? All he knows is that you spend all your time training by yourself."

Rukia scoffed. She reached over, taking her zanpakuto into her weathered hands, and admired its craftsmanship. "As if my brother would ever step in the way of a quest for perfection."

"Not unless it concerned you." Rukia shot her friend a dark violet look, but Renji didn't back down. He squeezed her shoulder firmly. "I may be going out on a limb for my dear taicho, but I think if you told him how you're feeling about your powers, he'd pull some strings. He'll get you the best help, and you can train with the best captains."

"Look, I don't need Nii-sama's help, I can do this on my own!" Rukia snapped, her voice quivering with emotions. Internally, she struggled with a sudden onslaught of tears. She gripped the handle of her zanpakuto so hard that her knuckles turned white. Her palms ached. "I can pull my own strings, and I can get my own powers back."

_"Well if Rukia goes to Kenpachi-taicho for help, then I'll just let her stab me and take my powers,"_ Renji thought with amusement.

A groan escaping Rukia's lips brought the red-haired shinigami back to the present. She brushed her knees off before brandishing her zanpakuto's hilt in a fighting stance. "Okay Renji, do you want to spar with me or are you too afraid that I'll still whip you in my incapacitated form?" Rukia smirked, her eyebrows wagging with energy. "If so, I can train alone. I'm a big girl."

Renji stood directly squared against her, looming well above Rukia. He did not smile, but tried to convey his concern as best and as seriously as he could. Rukia's smile faltered under his gaze, but with her eyes, she begged him to let her continue the training. She had a promise to keep.

"You really love him, don't you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

This time, Rukia's smile completely faded away. Once more, she reverted to anempty shell of a person, her face crossed by a frown. She cast her gaze to the ground.

"Maybe not love," Rukia replied softly. She took a deep breath to compose herself. "But he makes the rain go away."

In a flash, Renji's sword swung directly at Rukia's head. The shorter shinigami jumped backwards, blocking the attack with the sheath of her sword in her weaker hand. The familiar rush of a real battle sparked a bit of fire inside of her, something she had been missing for over two weeks. She smirked at her red-headed friend.

"Rukia," he said with a low growl. "I don't want to hear you talk all sappy and stuff over that kid. It's not like you."

"If I didn't know any better, it sounds like you're a bit jealous," she retorted.

"Well if actually beat me this time, I'll own up to such ridiculous feelings if it'll make you smile," Renji replied, pointing his own zanpakuto at his new sparring partner.

"Nothing would make me smile more than beating you up right now!" Rukia yelled as she made the first attack. For the moment, she would lose herself in the clashing of metal on metal.

* * *

Panting heavily, Renji barely scrambled from his crouch on the floor to escape Rukia's blade. He slid several feet across the hardwood floor on his belly.

"Come on Abarai, get up!" bellowed Rukia before she attacked again. Several strands of her dark hair were matted against her sweaty face; her right cheek glistened with fresh blood oozing from a gash given by Renji purely out of self-defense. But the tiny woman kept coming at him with unwaivering, raw ferocity, pushing Renji to the point where he fought only to protect his life.

Although the two childhood friends were sparring in quite a large room void of things for them to break, Rukia managed to cause major structural damage in several areas like the walls, a part of the ceiling so the sky showed through, and the floor with only her basic powers. Not much more reiatsu showed through after two straight hours of sparring.

Rukia lunged at him again.

"Dammit!" Renji hissed. Sparring with a crazed woman hell bent on attacking you didn't give him the luxury of letting his mind wander.

"Come on Abarai-fukutaicho! You said you'd help me train by sparring! You said you'd help me get back my POWER!" Rukia bellowed in her deep voice. It was downright terrifying, especially as she swung her zanpakuto and the blade connected with something on Renji.

For an instant, all movement in the room ceased. Rukia stood, just panting for breath, while she watched her partner check himself for any bodily harm. His shinigami robes had cuts, and Renji was missing his left sleeve, but there didn't seem to be any apparent wounds or pain. Renji bent down to check his lower body, and as he did so, a bush of his bright red hair fell to the ground. He froze, his dark eyes focused on his precious hair.

Rukia smirked and lifted her sword once more. "Heh, looks like I got you again, Abarai-fu-ku-tai-cho."

A twitch plagued Renji's eye. He glared at Rukia, knowing that their match had crossed the line of acceptable sparring at least an hour ago. She would not be forgiven so easily.

"Howl Zabimaru!" he commanded, calling forth his shikai. The zanpakuto changed into its segmented form, and with Renji guiding it by the hilt, the lieutenant advanced on his target.

Cursing herself for not being able to also call her shikai, Rukia quickly became aware of her disadvantage. The whole time they were sparring, Renji barely used his reiatsu in order to keep the battle fair, but now that a sizeable hairball of his precious locks were on the floor, she didn't know what he could be capable of. Her violet orbs were locked on the deadly blade.

But it was too late.

One moment, Rukia stood clutching the hilt of Sode no Shirayuki with both hands, and the next thing she knew, it was knocked cleanly from her grasp and landed at the feet of Abarai Renji. "That's enough, Rukia," he hissed, Renji's eyes blazing into hers.

"Renji, give me back my sword."

"No."

"Renji...return my zanpakuto."

Crossing his arms over his broad chest, Abarai Renji did not budge. Instead, he used his foot to move the sword behind him, leaving only a massive ball of red hair between him and Rukia. "I think we've done enough for today," he said sternly.

A deep frown surfaced upon Rukia's lips, her eyebrows furrowing just as deep, and her eyes shot cold daggers at Renji. He wasn't fazed. With one last huff, Rukia spun on her heels and stormed out of the room. If she would have looked back, she would have been Renji breathe a sigh of relief.

* * *

Rukia stomped through the streets of Seireitei. It was late in the afternoon, but she still garnered the stares of the few shinigami out under the sun. The Kuchiki didn't pay them any attention, but rather, started to make her way towards the only place she felt solace in all of these fifteen days. She had at least an hour before the sunset in Soul Society, and the northern cliff was the best place to see it. It was also one of the most accessible dimensional gates for travellers between worlds, and the last place Rukia felt his reiatsu. Her brother knew Rukia spent her days training, trying to get her powers back, but he never knew that as part of her training, she tried searching for her reiatsu by reminescing about his. Although the memory was faint, Rukia knew in the depths of her soul how he felt; his strength, his righteousness, his passion. She needed him more than ever to fill her with all that she lacked now.

"Ichigo," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her torso. Rukia stopped her trek to the very edge of the cliff, looking over all of Soul Society. There was nothing out there that could fill her emptiness like he could.

"Ichigo," Rukia repeated, as if chanting for his essence to visit her. She fell to her knees as the flood of tears surfaced once more. "I knew you had to leave me...but why can't I deal with it? I promised you that I will get stronger. Why can't I keep my promise?"

She didn't bother holding back her tears today. Maybe she was going crazy and obsessed with power, but what it really boiled down to was her lingering obsession with Kurosaki Ichigo. With their kiss, there were so many feelings stirred, so many unanswered emotions, and so many endings possible. Rukia just wanted to finally find her happy one, but when she saw the look on Renji's face as he took her sword, she understood she was far from those possibilities.

Rukia let herself cry for a bit. She felt relieved she could still feel, but she wanted to find a balance between all of these amplified emotions. Once she stopped thinking, Rukia's breath steadied and the tears subsided. She could focus on the sunset.

It was her favorite time of the day. From what she observed, there was a certain point where the orange sun met the horizon and transformed into a dark purple color, making way for the night. She loved to stare at this exchange, the colors undoubtedly reminding her of Ichigo's blazing hair. The curve of the sun looked like his frown, and sometimes, if she concentrated hard enough, Rukia could hear his voice speaking in the breeze. She held her knees close to her chest, rested her chin on her knees, and remembered the nights of sleeping soundly in a cozy closet.

"What I would give to be able to sleep through the night," Rukia sighed out loud.

"Ah, what would you give?"

Rukia's eyes grew wide, and she leapt to her feet. When she turned around, she was met by an unfamiliar figure cloaked from head to toe. Fear striked her heart. Out of instinct, she clutched at her hip, but a boulder fell into the pit of her stomach. She left her zanpakuto with Renji.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to fight," the figure said quietly.

Rukia couldn't tell whether it was a male or female voice. It was just low and smooth. She felt comforted by it somehow, but her first instincts screamed not to let her guard down. After the Aizen incident, not even friends could be beyond suspicion, let alone strangers. Rukia's eyes analyzed the person; his clothes were not visible under the long brown cloak that covered all the day from his head to his feet. Where Ichigo was a little over a foot taller than her, this person seemed a few inches taller than Rukia. Either the stranger was relatively short, like an average woman's height, or he was hunched over. Only the stranger's fingertips and toes were visible from under the long sleeves and the edges of their cloak. Nothing made Rukia feel uneasy.

"Then what are you here for?" Rukia snapped, trying to make herself sound as intimidating and confident as possible. She wasn't sure she was very convincing.

"I just wanted to know the answer to my question, that's all," the stranger said. "What would you give for a decent night's sleep where you are finally content with yourself? It's really not in my nature to let suffering people continue in their ways when I know they're not happy, and I can do something about it. I want to help you."

Rukia scoffed at the offer. She flexed her hands, silently happy that they weren't too worn for several kido spells, if it came down to defending herself. Trying to act cool, Rukia crossed her arms over her chest, clearly saying she was on her guard and uninterested in any shady offers. Who was this person to act like she was a charity case anyway? "What would you know about helping me anyway? Answer my question: who are you and why would you want to help me? You sound like a traitor, like one of Aizen's minions."

It was quiet, but it floated through the air almost unnoticeable unless you were listening for it. The stanger was laughing at her. "If I were here to kill you or whatnot, I surely would have done it thirty minutes ago, while you were crying and watching the sunset. You didn't even notice me when I came up behind you, correct?" he said slyly.

Rukia's heart sped up. What the stranger said was true; she did not possess a sufficient amount of reiatsu, and therefore, couldn't detect the disturbance of someone sneaking up on her. She suddenly felt foolish for all the times she teased Ichigo about his obliviousness to others' spiritual power. "I noticed you," Rukia lied, averting her eyes. "I was just too tired to acknowledge you. You are invading a very personal time for me."

There were only more snickers, and Rukia felt her blood boiling. "Like I said, Kuchiki-san," the stranger continued non-chalantly. "I am only here wishing to help you. You are clearly hurting, and I don't want to go around not offering my services. But I will need to know what you would give, how passionate you are...I need to know the fire in your soul."

Rukia narrowed her eyes. What a weirdo. "What are you talking about? I don't have time for this. I'm going to call for Nii-sama, the Captain of the Sixth Division of-"

"What would you give to see that 'stupid smile' of his?!" the stranger interrupted, his voice clearly agitated but ready to make the first strike.

This time, Rukia had no response. She almost felt invisible, read like an open book by a complete stranger. Or perhaps the stranger had powers she wasn't aware of and couldn't detect.

"Oh, it seems I strunk a nerve with you. I don't think that person would acknowledge this silent you, someone who is usually so straightforward with her words. What would he say, the Strawberry, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"Who...who are you?" Rukia could barely ask. Her words quivered with her breath.

The stanger clapped his hands together, as if delighted that Rukia would ask for a proper introduction. Rukia flinched from the quick movement.

"I am called Agent Wicked," he said. "I go around the worlds, and my only purpose is to make people happy."

Rukia smirked. "If that's true, then why are you called Wicked?"

"Ah, I'm not quite sure, but I assue you, my intentions are pure!" In a flash, Agent Wicked appeared right behind Rukia, his breath tickling the hairs on her neck. "Just hear me out."

Startled, Rukia jumped away and raised her hands to attack. "Desctructive Spell number 33: shakkahou!"

The red blast of energy burst from Rukia's palm. But Agent Wicked stood stoically before a flick of his wrist shot out a long golden chain from under his sleeve. It clashed with the shinigami energy, easily deflecting it and to Rukia's surprise, wrapped around her body, binding her tight.

"My my, this won't do," Wicked hummed, wagging a finger at Rukia, who collapsed to the ground after she lost control of her body. "Here I am, offering you a chance to be with your lover boy, and you attack me! What did I do to you?"

A wave of anger crashed over Rukia. She couldn't move, couldn't defend herself, and now she was being chastised by her attacker. Wicked's tone of voice reminded her of Urahara, and how he liked to tease others with the things he secretly knew. It downright pissed Rukia off.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered, unsure whether she wanted to cry or scream in anger.

"Like I said from the beginning, all I wanted was an answer," Wicked replied. "What would you give to be able to sleep at night? What would you give to be happy and fufilled again?"

Agent Wicked's voice dipped low. "What would you give to see Kurosaki Ichigo again?"

The sound of Ichigo's name on Agent Wicked's lips crushed Rukia. Her head hung low, unable to hold back the few tears that ran down her cheeks. After a silence passed over the two, Rukia moved her arms and the golden chain fell to the ground. She wiped the wetness from her eyes.

"I don't like to see people cry," Wicked said quietly. Although she couldn't see his eyes, Rukia knew they were fixated on her. "And I am not here to make you cry either. I want to offer you happiness."

Rukia wrinkled her eyebrows. "And how would you do that? I don't even know if I want to be with a fifteen year-old human."

"It's a pretty pathetic situation when a stranger can sense the denial you cloud yourself with."

"But I am a shinigami, and a Kuchiki no less. What would they say?"

Agent Wicked scoffed. He wiggled his fingers, and the golden chain came to life once more. It coiled itself into a circle, and at its center, images of Rukia and Ichigo danced in a shining display. There were images of them in a fist fight, watching the sunset from Ichigo's window, and Ichigo helping her with the straw to a juicebox. Each vague memory pained her, and each possibility of that kind of future crushed her even more.

"They wouldn't have to know, thanks to my powers. If you want to see Kurosaki-san," he replied and motioned towards the shining void where the images looped in a torturous cycle. "Then all you have to do is reach forward and grab what you want."

Rukia narrowed her eyes. "And what do you want from me?"

To her surprise, Agent Wicked clapped his hands together again. He seemed very cheerful all of a sudden. "This is the best part of my offer: I ask for nothing! Like I said, I hate to see people suffering and unhappy. I've been blessed with the gift of altering dimensions and time, and I dedicated my life to helping others. Plus, I am a sucker for love stories."

But he changed his demeanor once again. "The only downside to my powers, if you choose to accept them, is...you will not be able to remember who you are at this moment. The Kuchiki Rukia you are now will not exist when I send you to Ichigo's world."

"What do you mean by that?" Rukia asked cautiously. She knew there was a catch to this proposition.

Wicked opened his arms wide, as if referring to the entire world of Soul Society. "Kuchiki Rukia, a shinigami of the 13th Division, talented in the art of kido spells, fiesty but not-so-great illustrator will no longer exist. Instead, you can keep your current form, but there shall be a clean slate for which you can make yourself a new life in the human world."

Rukia's mouth curled out of distaste. "Well what is the point in going if I don't even know why I'm there? That is the most ridiculous offer ever! You're saying that I have to give up everything here in Soul Society, I have to forget Nii-sama and Renji, forget that I have a fufilling life as a shinigami, just to get back to the living world? And to top it off, I wouldn't even know who I am? Forget that, I can find my own way!"

Agent Wicked shrugged, but the golden chain glowed brighter. This time, there were images of Rukia and Ichigo which she didn't recognize. One showed them on a beach under the stars, and Ichigo wraps his arms around her in a loving embrace. Another showed them playing in the snow, both their cheeks flushed from the cold. Rukia had never seen snow in person. "I am not saying you 'have' to forget who you are, but that you _will _forget. I must apologize that I don't have full control over my powers. The thing is that if I send you to this new life with your current memories, then I need to alter this dimension by taking you out of it and displacing you somewhere else. Unfortunately, things get lost in translation, and a side effect to the transferee is the loss of their former self. But it's all for the best, I mean there could be dire consequenses by putting you somewhere that you don't belong."

"As in..."

"Well to alter your exisitance in another dimension means I need to avoid paradoxes of the possibilities of two Kuchiki Rukias, or if I try to change too much at once, it could cause dimensional overloads, and it could be, but is very likely that both the human world and Soul Society would implode on themselves...it's all really complicated matters but it truly is unnecessary to go over them..."

"Besides," Wicked continued. "Where would the fun be if you two were just reunited with the snap of my fingers?"

Rukia scoffed and shook her head. She managed to tear her eyes away from the swirling images to gaze at the last of the sunset. The violet of night threatened to take over. "So you're going to throw someone head-first into a life they know nothing about?"

"I mean, I have been working on my dimensional-ripping skills, and I can leave you with some memories so you're not just some random human throwing youself at him. You will be a normal girl at age fifteen, you will have a fully-functioning body, and you won't be burdened by the life you left behind."

"Forgetting all about Soul Society doesn't exactly sound so enticing."

"But the fact that Kurosaki-san will remember who you are does. The question is do you know whether he feels as strong as you do if you make this decision to be with him. Will he fight for you? Who knows whether his feelings have waned since you last saw him." Agent Wicked watched Rukia's small form from the shadows of his hood. The petite woman looked tense as she kept her arms crossed in front of her chest. But there was no mistaking the troubles that plagued her and weighed her shoulders in a weary slump. "I know you're not very happy with your life right now, Kuchiki-san. You've been without powers, someone to talk to, and downright depressed for some time now. I'm only offering you a way to get what you want, nothing more."

The was no cough of doubt, no question, no witty remark from the raven-haired shinigami. She only stared out at the emptiness beyond the cliff's edge as more stars dotted the velvet sky. The night was heavy with thought.

"Listen, I know I dropped this huge proposition on you, and it's a lot to think about. I'm sure you need more time," said Agent Wicked. He couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"No," Rukia replied. "No, it's not."

She took a deep breath. "I've been lying to myself, saying that all of this self-inflicted torture is to get my reiatsu back and be stronger. I mean, part of it is true, but when it comes down to it, I really want to see him again. If Ichigo would fight to the death for me, then I can give what I can to be with him."

With a newfound spark bursting inside of her, Rukia hurried to Agent Wicked and his shining golden chain. It sparkled in her dark eyes. "You said all I have to do is reach forward and grab it, right?" Rukia held her hands over the alluring pictures that promised her a happy ending.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. Wicked tilted his head up enough so the light from the gold chain illuminated a small smile, although his eyes were still hidden under the shadow of his hood. "You cannot, and you will not, remember who you are or else my powers will be lost."

Byakuya's words rang in her ears. _"I hope that with this second gift of life, you will go for the things you want. You are worth it Rukia, you don't need to feel guilty anymore."_

_"I want you to be happy and make the sun shine for you...like you have for me."_ Ichigo's words took over, and for the first time in fifteen days, Kuchiki Rukia smiled.

"Thank you, Agent Wicked," she said. "But this is all about me."

Nodding, Wicked placed his palms above the shining images swirling in the golden chain. Rukia followed suit, and suddenly, the night gave way to something reminescent of sun rays. The smile never left her lips as Rukia found herself engulfed in the light that was almost as bright as the orange sunset.

* * *

Kurosaki Ichigo rested his chin on his hand, his amber gaze focused on the day outside. He wasn't the least bit interested in school, and for the last two weeks, he indulged in his habit of sneaking glances at the empty desk to his right. It didn't help that no one else in the school remembered Rukia, except the select few who ventured with him to Soul Society, so he kept his thoughts to himself as usual, except this time it felt like he was hiding a shameful secret. He felt foolish in thinking that he would've heard from her by now; it's not like there was a postal service between the living world and Soul Society. Although he spontaneously gave in to the sweetness of her embrace that moment before leaving through the dimensional gate, Ichigo still felt the lingering effects that spilled over since then. Ichigo frowned, wondering if he was obsessing too much, and whether it would have even been possible to dive into a relationship with the closet hobbit.

_"Not to mention, she's dead,"_ he thought grimly. Deepening the creases in his face, Ichigo sat, waiting silently for the bell marking school's end. _"What would I have to offer a 150 year-old shinigami?"_

No one could read Ichigo as easily as Orihime Inoue. If anyone else noticed that he was much more quiet and pensive since school started, they certainly didn't bring it up. Inoue hoped that their rescue mission would bring them closer together, but now she faced someone whom she could barely relate to.

A pair of brown eyes met hers, and Inoue panicked from her thoughts; Ichigo had caught her staring at him. Luckily, the school bell rang, and all of the students rushed from their seats to exit the classroom. Blushing, Inoue followed their lead, trying to reach the door before Ichigo so she could further avoid his piercing gaze.

"Oi, Inoue," the very boy she was avoiding called out to her.

Inoue clutched her textbook to her chest, biting her lower lip as she turned slowly to face him. She became increasingly nervous as the last of their classmates left the room, leaving the two of them alone. "Y-yes, Kurosaki-kun?" For some reason, she was having troubles forming her words. He had that effect on her most of the time anyway.

"Do you think I'm attractive?"

The strawberry blonde's heart leapt into her throat. Her ability to speak was utterly incapacitated. Maybe it was a joke, or maybe Ichigo discovered her feelings about him and wanted to torture her a bit. Whatever the case was, Inoue was only able to clutch her textbook tighter, her eyes wide and searching everywhere else except Ichigo's face for an answer.

"Ah, I'm really sorry about that Inoue," said Ichigo. He rubbed the back of his neck, wearing the look of embarassment with a grin on his face. "I guess that was really straightforward, right?"

Still no response.

Letting out a sigh, Ichigo grinned even wider. "Would you like to go out with me tonight?"

Inoue nodded numbly. Her orange-haired classmate strode over to the door and held his arm up, as if showing her what to do next. Still in a silent shock, Inoue followed his directions and exited the classroom with Ichigo following behind her.

* * *

**thanks so much for the initial reviews and positive feedback from the first chapter! it's so encouraging, especially when this is my first Bleach fic. i'm trying to read other stories more and return the favor, but the words just keep pouring out, and i get pretty engrossed in my writing. look out for the next chapter soon...i smell some Ichigo/Rukia fluffiness coming up! **

**ah! grammar errors and misspelled words really bother me, so if you happen to see any typos, please let me know, no matter how trivial. i don't have a Beta reader, and one tends to miss things when you read the same words over and over again. thanks!**


	3. Of Hospitals and Hollows

One day you'll get sick of  
saying that everything's alright  
And by then, I'm sure I'll be pretending  
Just like I am tonight

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Of Hospitals and Hollows**

"It sure is nice out today," said Orihime Inoue before she sipped her vanilla milkshake. Her eyes rested on Ichigo, who sat across the table from her, but he silently gazed off into the distance.

_"Always with that frown," _she thought to herself. _"I wonder if he ever genuinely smiles..."_

Her thoughts went back to the day they left Soul Society; Ichigo had smiled at Rukia after their magnificent kiss. Orihime's shoulders sank lower as she tried to find solace in her milkshake. Unfortunately, she almost neared the bottom already. "Kurosaki-kun," she said quietly, not bothering to look up.

Even after more time passed, and he still had no response.

To any passerby, Ichigo looked relaxed in his chair. One long leg crossed over his knee, one of his equally-long arms draped casually on the chair back behind him. Whether he knew it or not, his right hand still curled around his fork on the table, but his chocolate pastry stayed untouched on its plate. Lately, he grew more restless the longer he was away from Rukia, and Ichigo's thoughts ran rampant in his mind, unable to focus on anything besides how he could possibly see her again.

"Kurosaki-kun, please talk to me."

Finally, her voice reached him. Ichigo blinked quickly, his amber gaze focusing on the girl who accompanied him. His face softened. "Inoue, I'm so sorry I keep zoning out on you," he said with a small smile. "I didn't ask you out to ignore you."

Orihime quickly returned his smile. His voice always filled her with wonder; it resounded of quiet confidence and a natural smoothness. At first, Ichigo scared Orihime, but now he comforted her, and she wished she could do the same for him. "I actually wanted to talk to you about that, Kurosaki-kun. Is there anything you want to talk about? You've been acting very strange and distracted lately."

Ichigo took a bite of his pastry. Could Orihime really relate to him as well as Rukia did? He didn't want to offend her by talking about another woman, and he didn't really fathom how emotionally close he felt to Orihime. She always addressed him so formally, while Rukia was always quick to put him in his place with a sharp-toned "Ichigo". Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to ask her out after all. In truth, Ichigo wanted to test how comfortable he felt as a boyfriend-figure and his skills with being affectionate or romantic. So far, he felt like he failed miserably, but then again, the woman with him was not Kuchiki Rukia.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime hissed, although it still sounded soft. She caught Ichigo with his mind wandering once again. "Please tell me what's bothering you. You are my friend, and I'm here to help."

Scratching the back of his head, Ichigo grinned with half of his mouth. "Sorry again! I was just thinking about...how stupid I am." He chuckled.

Orihime wrinkled her eyebrows. If he wasn't going to be straightforward about it, then someone would have to drag it out of him. "It's not stupid to be missing someone you care about."

Ichigo's jaw slacked a little. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not completely clueless, Kurosaki-kun. I am a woman, after all!" she replied with a smile. A pink blush spread to her cheeks. "I know you are missing Kuchiki-san. I catch you looking at her empty desk at school all the time."

"No I don't," muttered Ichigo. His signature frown graced his face, and Ichigo looked like himself again.

"So are you saying that you don't miss her?"

The orange-haired shinigami choked on his words, and Orihime took that as a yes. Her spirits wavered a little, but she figured it must be nothing compared to what her Kurosaki-kun endured in secret. He risked his life to save Rukia, but in the end, the hero didn't get the girl.

"If you don't miss her," she said quietly, "then do you love her?"

For a fleeting moment, Ichigo really regretted taking out Orihime. He felt hot as he tugged at the collar of his uniform, wondering if he sweat enough to match the level of his discomfort. He thought he had sorted through these kinds of feelings when he kissed Rukia, but admitting them to someone tangible presented a whole different obstacle. "Do you think someone like me could love someone?" he choked out.

"What do you mean, 'someone like you'?" Orihime replied, the look on her face absolutely heartbreaking. She looked like someone killed her puppy. "Kurosaki-kun, you are the most passionate person I've ever known. I don't think emotions like love are so far-fetched for someone who I've seen do great things.

"Plus, I don't know how else to describe that kiss between you and Kuchiki-san, if that wasn't love."

Ichigo thought her voice wavered a bit.

"Oh yeah, there is _that_," he replied. For some reason, Ichigo tried to sound surprised about the kiss. He never dared to mention aloud that it was all he thought about in recent days.

"Once again, Kurosaki-kun, I am not clueless. I have two working eyes, and everyone else there could feel that pure energy. You can't deny the chemistry between you and Kuchiki-san. It's absolutely...beautiful." Tears began to well in the corners of her eyes, but she bit her lower lip in an attempt to stop them and not give away her feelings for Ichigo. Orihime wanted to be strong for him, if just this once.

Ichigo looked down at his now-empty plate. It wasn't easy as a specimen under his friend's observations, and he didn't like being read like an open book. But Ichigo knew that he couldn't go on without conquering his emotions; with hollows, school, and his crazy family, he couldn't afford additional distractions. "I'll have to admit, you're too perceptive, Inoue," he said slowly. His eyes moved up and burned into hers. "I'm kind of uncomfortable with this stuff."

The girl nodded. "I know. But I think that's so endearing, Kurosaki-kun." The aforementioned grinned. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you, but I need to know...do you love her?"

"I don't want to say that I love her just yet, unless I'm saying it to her face." His response took Orihime's breath away. Even though he was talking about someone else, her heart couldn't help racing in her chest. She longed for someone to speak to her that way. Ichigo continued, a far-away look taking over his eyes. He felt like summer manifested itself in his soul. "I feel like it's been an eternity since I've seen her, but I can't forget it. I'll never forget how she made everything shine in and around me."

Orihime's lips parted slightly. She wanted to say something, but the words couldn't connect from her heart to her mouth. This time, she couldn't hide the longing emanating from her own soul and let it show, regardless of whether Ichigo knew her aching. Somewhere deeper inside her, however, Orihime knew he wouldn't return her feelings. She slammed her hands on the table, scaring Ichigo.

"Well then, you have to tell her!" she cried. Ichigo blinked at her. "You can't hide your feelings inside of you forever, she needs to know! You owe it to Kuchiki-san to tell her the nice things you said to me just now, so she can return them!"

"Wow," replied Ichigo. "Is it that important? I mean, I figure that...she knows something is there...right?"

Orihime's hair fluttered around her as she shook her head furiously. "She'd want to know, Kurosaki-kun. She'd appreciate it, I know I would!"

Ichigo laughed, his head nodded with Orihime's prodding. "So I'll tell her the next time I see her..which is exactly the problem. I don't know when or even if Rukia will come back. I think going back into Soul Society to declare my feelings for her would be taking it too far, not to mention I'd completely trash my reputation there, AND I'd probably have to go bankai on Byakuya when he finds out I'm trying to date his sister." He groaned, closing his eyes. "Wait, this is ridiculous, Inoue. She - Rukia - she's a shinigami. And she's dead, and she is from another world! I have no business trying to start anything with her."

"Then you don't deserve her," Orihime replied flatly. Her eyes burned into Ichigo, strangely piercing and resolved. "If one day you wanted to die for her, and then the next, you're going to give her up...then you don't deserve to be with Kuchiki-san."

Her eyes welled with tears once more. "Love isn't anything you can toss aside, it's a blessing! Not everyone is lucky enough to find someone they care so much about and have their feelings returned. Kurosaki-kun, if you have strong feelings about someone, then you need to let them be known and not shut them away. Please...the next time you see Kuchiki-san, tell her how you feel."

She couldn't hold it in any longer. Orihime stood from her chair, turning her back on Ichigo. She didn't want him to see her cry again, especially this time as her tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

Ichigo watched her with curious eyes. Somehow, girls liked to work themselves up over something as intangible as love. But perhaps he was also worked up over emotions as well. Suddenly, they became the next thing Ichigo needed to conquer.

Suppressing the urge to yawn, Ichigo stood from his seat, leaving enough money for the bill on the table. He took several steps to get to his friend and wrapped his arms around Orihime, pressing her back into his chest. Although he knew Orihime was trying to hide her tears, Ichigo did the only thing he knew, which was to try to comfort and support her with his presence. He hoped it was enough.

Orihime indulged in being so close to Ichigo. His essence filled the air with its rough thickness, but she felt incredibly protected and shielded from the world. Her small hands lifted to touch his solid forearms, easing herself into his embrace even more. She tried to remember the feeling, to engrave it in her memory, in case it was the last time she would feel so engulfed in him. Orihime shivered when she heard his voice in her ear.

"Thank you, Inoue."

A small smile crossed her lips, and Orihime looked up to match his gaze. "Please be yourself again, Kurosaki-kun."

Keeping an arm draped around her shoulders, Ichigo nodded. The pair began to walk to her apartment just as the first stars began to sparkle in the velvet sky. It reminded him of the shining look in Rukia's eyes on the last night they spent together in Soul Society.

* * *

Elsewhere in Karakura Town, a pair of violet eyes flew open, rescuing their owner from the perils of the darkness. Instead, everything turned white, although they had nothing noteworthy to look at. She blinked several times, trying to focus on something. All she got were the distinct outline of little popcorns on the ceiling.

_Where am I?_

She remembered that her head must have been attached to a body. Did it work?

She tried to sit up, but felt the tightness of something stiff and starchy holding her down. How to get it out of her way...

Her fingers wiggled, signaling that her hand worked. She pushed her arm out to the right laterally, slowly untucking the white sheet that held her down. Someone really didn't want her to get out of bed. Was it her bed? She successfully released herself from the cocoon of sheets, like a butterfly trying its wings out for the first time. A wave of nausea crashed over her body even though she only sat up for a few seconds. Clutching at her forehead, she eased herself back onto her pillow. She noted that it was made of the same stiff material as the sheets.

_Wow, I really hope this isn't my room._

Looking around, the room did not entail much more for her to see. A single window disrupted the flow of the walls, and even though a double layer of curtains covered it, she could tell it shielded the night time moonlight outside. To her right, there were two doors; one was large, as if it connected to another room, and the other was much slimmer, probably used for storing things. A faint beeping noise told her that her ears still worked. Looking to her left, a large grey machine produced the soft, almost-hypnotizing noises. Blinking lights, numerous knobs and widgets adorned the machine, which to her surprise, was somehow connected to her left arm through an interstate of clear tubes.

_Why am I in a hospital?_

"Who...?" she said aloud. She didn't know whether she was more surprised by the deepness of her voice or the degree of difficulty it was to speak because her throat was incredibly dry.

Panic began to settle in the pit of her empty stomach. She searched the room for answers, anything to tell her why she was where she was and in the state she was in, but nothing came to mind. In fact, her brain felt as barren as the room. Closing her eyes, she tried to think of a single thought. Nothing came to light.

_Why don't I know anything?!_

She squeezed her eyes tighter, almost to the point of it being painful, trying her hardest to come up with a memory, a vision, or a word to identify with. And just when fear manifested in her mind, a flash of something surfaced in the darkness.

A woman.

She didn't know if she knew this woman personally, if it was a memory, or if this was actually herself she was seeing. The image didn't last very long, but she concentrated so that the woman would stay permanent in her apparently empty brain. The woman had shoulder-length black hair contrasting with her light skin like night and day. Her nose and petite stature was unremarkable, but she couldn't remember any other feature other than the most striking of all; the woman had sparkling violet eyes. Unsure if she had never seen violet eyes before, or if they truly were magnificent to behold, she instantly knew that she would be haunted by those wide, saucer-like orbs. Somehow, she knew something like regret or sorrow radiated from behind their shine.

_Who are you?_

The noise of the door opening drew her attention away from her muddled thoughts. A cheery nurse in white scrubs smiled when she saw the girl awake in the hospital bed. She seemed like a doll amongst the stuffy medical equipment. "Ah Kuchiki-san, I am glad to see that you are awake and well," the nurse said in a low voice that did not match the expression on her face.

"Ku...Kuchiki-san?" she repeated. Her throat itched from its own hoarseness.

The nurse smoothly glided over to the slim door; it was a closet stocked with several things on each of the shelves. She then moved to the larger door; it was a bathroom, and the nurse filled a pitcher of water from the faucet before returning to the bedside. Somewhere amongst her quick movements, she also managed to produce a cup and a table to set the items upon.

"Don't look so surprised, sweetie," said the nurse, a serious look taking over her face. Suddenly, the smile returned to her thin, pink lips. The bed-ridden didn't feel comforted by it in the least. "Just drink some water, and don't be too quick to get up. If you need anything, my name is Usagi. Feel free to call me whenever you feel...whimsical."

Seemingly satisfied with her introduction, the nurse Usagi spun on her heels towards the door.

"Wait, Usagi-san!"

Pausing, the nurse didn't bother to fully turn around.

"Some answers, please." The girl sipped at her water dutifully. "Could you tell me, who I am? You referred to me as 'Kuchiki-san', but...I'm afraid I don't recognize that name. I...can't remember who I am."

When the girl spoke these words, her eyes started to tear. This time, the fear completely took her over and filled her instead of the things people usually know. Nurse Usagi's eyebrows furrowed; the small girl looked pathetic in her bed. She hated this part of the job and tried her hardest to avoid such difficult situations, but it couldn't be helped this time. The girl's wide saucer eyes struck deep down into her soul. There was something heavenly about her.

Nurse Usagi took a seat at the end of the bed. "So you can't remember who you are, that must be a scary thing." Turning to a small basket hanging from the bed, she fingered through the medical paperwork lazily. How to put her words delicately...?

"Your papers say that amnesia may be a side effect of what you've been through. It was a terrible accident, you might consider it lucky to not remember the things you survived."

The girl didn't breathe. _"Accident? I don't remember being in an accident. And I'm lucky to have survived it?"_

"Who am I? What's my name?"

Nurse Usagi took a breath, then shut the book before returning it to its bedside basket. "Your name is Kuchiki Rukia, you are fifteen years old. The number 6th female student at Karakura High, you had an older sister, Kuchiki Hisana, and no other known living relatives."

"I have an older sister?"

Suddenly, a throbbing pain overwhelmed the newly-discovered Kuchiki Rukia. She instinctively clutched at the bridge of her nose. In the darkness of her eyes, Rukia saw the woman she visualized earlier. Maybe that was Hisana, she didn't know. Rukia couldn't push through the pain searing through her head at the moment.

Nurse Usagi was on her feet in a flash. Somehow she managed to wrap a cool towel on Rukia's forehead, ease her onto a stack of pillows, and offer her two aspirin before Rukia had her eyes opened again. "Please, don't strain yourself right now, Kuchiki-san. Rest and we can talk later," Usagi said quietly.

Rukia took the medicine and nestled into the pillows behind her. These even seemed softer than before, although Rukia was sure they were the same pillows from when she woke up.

Suddenly, the hospital building began to rumble. The bed shook and the curtains fluttered a little, but there was nothing else really to be disturbed in the empty room. Nurse Usagi steadied herself in the narrow doorway, her eyes never leaving Rukia's worried face. "It's just an earthquake," she said with a firm voice.

Rukia nodded silently. For some reason, the course of nature didn't terrify her nearly as much as the emptiness inside her head. She repeated her name, Kuchiki Rukia, silently to herself while the building kept on shaking. At least Rukia felt that her body was alive with every sway with the concrete building. Rukia tried closing her eyes, but she couldn't escape the mysteries in the dark. She didn't know who the woman was from her dream, she wanted to know about her apparent accident, and she wanted to know what that horrifying noise was that echoed in the night, seemingly from the outside.

Perhaps it sounded like a scream, but no matter how she tried to ignore it, Rukia had a feeling that it had something to do with the earthquake.

* * *

_OOOOooOoO0000ooo0oo0o0o0o00OOO0o0O00OOOo0oooo!_

Orihime and Ichigo both froze in their steps. The sound was unmistakable.

"A Hollow?" whispered Orihime.

Ichigo nodded. As if to confirm their instincts, Ichigo's skull badge began to beep furiously. It was time to move.

"It seems like it's near the hospital," Ichigo said while breaking out into a sprint. It would be a quick run from their location in Karakura.

"Change into a shinigami, Kurosaki-kun!" Orhime said breathlessly. "I'll protect your body and hide."

Ichigo nodded and pressed the badge to his chest. He felt free in his spirit form, unhindered by the heaviness that he realized human bodies trapped him in. He wouldn't have known how it felt to have the power to protect others if he hadn't met Rukia, and Ichigo resolved to keep on fighting Hollows in her memory.

"Hey stupid! I don't appreciate you messing up my town, and I'm sure the people in that hospital don't appreciate you disturbing their rest!" he bellowed at the monster.

The Hollow didn't seem too remarkable or out of the ordinary. Its grey body looked like wrinkled leather in contrast to its bone white mask. Although it resembled a t-rex in shape and its height rivaled the hospital building, it moved quickly with the dexterity of an animal a tenth of its size. Upon hearing Ichigo call out to it, the Hollow directed its attention to the shinigami and attacked, its jaws dripping with saliva. It roared in fury while its tail hit the side of the hospital, the collision causing chunks of concrete to crash to the ground.

"Like I said," growled Ichigo, resting his zanpakuto on his shoulders behind his head. "I can't have you wrecking my town."

Without another word, he flew through the air and brought his blade directly down on the Hollow's skull. A clean hit.

Ichigo landed in a crouch with his back to the Hollow, pleased with the quick blow. It was already late after his date with Orihime, and he still had to get up for school in the morning. He located Orihime, who crouched with her arms around his limp body behind a thick tree, but his friend's eyes were focused on something behind him, her mouth slightly agape.

The Hollow roared in fury.

"Shi-ni-gami," it croaked among more squeals of pain.

Ichigo didn't bother to turn around, but rather, became more focused on the expression on Orihime's face. She covered her open mouth with her hand. "Kurosaki-kun," she hissed, although it was as light as the wind. "The Hollow!"

The Shinigami Substiture spun around when he heard the slicing of air with one of the Hollow's appendages. It was on the attack again. Ichigo leapt to the side, hacking at the Hollow's arm. His eyes also grew wide with surprise.

The Hollow, underneath its cracked mask, had a normal face atop its dinosaur body. Its eyes were bloodshot and red, and the skin was wrinkled like the rest of the skin on its body, but it still bothered Ichigo that it was looking almost human-like in its new form.

"Not dead yet, I see," Ichigo said flatly. He pointed Zangetsu once more at the Hollow's head. There would be no next time. "I am Kurosaki Ichigo, Shinigami Substitute. It is only proper for me to introduce myself before I eliminate you."

"Kurosaki Ichigo," the Hollow replied while reaching back with its only good arm. Its spirits still flared with reiatsu. "It is not right to slay your brethren!"

Ichigo froze, clutching the hilt of his zanpakuto, but only for a moment as the Hollow thrust itself at the shinigami.

_"Brethren?"_

Ichigo didn't want to think about it further. He flew through the air, aiming his deadly weapon at the Hollow's forehead once more. The blade stayed true to its purpose, and the night illuminated with broken reiatsu for a few moments. He calmly strode to Orihime's hiding place.

"What was it talking about?" she asked quietly. Orihime held Ichigo's body steady while he melted himself to his solid form.

Ichigo stood on his feet while rotating each of his arms in a windmill motion. Realigning himself after fighting in spirit form still felt awkward to the seasoned shinigami. He didn't want to answer Orihime right away. In fact, he didn't really have the words to address the questions swimming around in his own mind. "I don't know," he replied. "Just stupid Hollows running their mouths."

Ichigo flashed a grin at Orihime. "Sorry for the side trip, but I guess it's time for the night to end, right Inoue?"

The girl nodded and quickly fell in step with her escort. Orihime kept to herself that she knew this particular smile formed only out of Ichigo's internal tensions.

* * *

**sorry, i lied everyone. i promised some fluff in the last chapter, but this is a quick transitional one needed to ease into the upcoming conflict for Ichigo and Rukia. but my updates have been consistently quick! i've been reading and getting myself more active in the Bleach community...there are some great writers out there. i'm just trying to not get insecure about my own story here.**

**sorry about the lack of creativity with the Nurse Usagi. i just needed someone to fill Rukia in, and i hate coming up with names because i tend to research them too much. i figure Usagi (bunny) was appropriate enough! till next time, thanks for all the support! **

**psst! still calling a Beta reader...**


	4. She Hits Like Her

And I'll never let this go  
But I can't find the words to tell you  
That now I feel like I don't know you  
Please don't get me wrong  
Because I'll never let this go

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**She Hits Like Her**

_"It is not right to slay your brethren."_

No matter how hard he tried to ignore the Hollow's words, Ichigo couldn't get the eerie voice out of his head. He even tried indulging in the memory of his kiss with Rukia, but the fantasy did not last long enough before the words came back nor did it take his mind off of the fight last night. Trouble stirred in his heart. Ichigo also couldn't ignore that a new feeling erupted within him when he saw the Hollow transform; it had been a long time since he last felt fear brewing in his inner world.

Ichigo rested his chin on his hands, feeling the coolness of his desk under his elbows. Although the classroom held only half of its students, the morning chatter drowned Ichigo's ability to think quietly to himself, or _brood_, as his friends liked to call it. _"That Hollow wasn't just talking nonsense," _he thought darkly. _"He was talking to me, as if he knew something that I didn't know already. I'm sure that I've never seen that Hollow before either, so why did he-."_

"Ahoy Ichigo!" cheered Keigo as he stormed into the classroom. He reeled his hand back, almost making his back parallel to the floor, readying himself for the ultimate strike aimed at the orange-haired classmate's back. "Are you still brooding?"

Before Keigo could land his hit, Ichigo leaned back into his chair, and with his foot, slid his desk forcefully into his attacker's stomach. At least his reflexes were still sharp in the morning.

"Ah, a direct hit, Ichigo-san!" Keigo groaned from his crumpled heap on the floor. He twitched like an electrocuted bug. "And you looked so cool too."

Ichigo returned his desk to its original position wordlessly and perched himself upon it once more. It was too early for any shenanigans.

"Kurosaki-kun, Kurosaki-kun!" cried Orihime as she entered the room. She clutched an open newspaper in her hand that looked worn and crumpled as she gripped it in the same hand that held her school bag. "I need to talk to you!"

"Ah Orihime-chan! You look so gorgeous and radiant when you run in here, all sweaty and panting. I can see your chest rise perfectly with each heave!" Chizuru giggled, her eyes sparkling behind her moon-shaped glasses. She snuck up behind Orihime, her fingers wiggling in excitement, ready to touch her favorite object all over.

Another loud crash came in the form of Tatsuki's fist onto Chizuru's head. "Save the raging lesbian perversion for your own bedroom! And your drooling is disgusting, get a mop" she spat, adding emphasis with a kick to the stomach.

Both Keigo and Chizuru lay sprawled on the classroom floor, no one bothering to help either up.

Mizuiro strolled up to the group that congregated around Ichigo's desk. In the center, Ichigo held his signature frown in silence while his friends continued to distrupt his thinking, but at the same time, he also felt comforted by the familiar noise of daily high school gossip and excitement. "My my," he said, not bothering to look up from his cell phone as he texted. "Everyone is extra chatty this morning. Are we planning anything special for the weekend? My girlfriend has a dozen or so of her model friends from Europe, and they want to have a good time."

"A dozen foreign models?!" Keigo repeated weakly. It seemed like his bruised and battered self now melted to the floor in a pathetic puddle, mixing with Chizuru's incessant saliva which turned on like a faucet at the mention of European models.

"They must be beautiful," she added, clasping her hands together in front of her chest. Although her head pounded, her spirits still bounded with hope. "Of course, no one could be as beautiful as my Orihime-chan!"

"Oh please," Tatsuki groaned as she rolled her eyes. She added a stomp to Chizuru's face for fun. "Well the Autumn Fair is starting up this weekend, we should all go. It'll be fun, and if we're lucky, we can lose these two perverts in the crowds."

The students nodded in agreement and instantly began to plan for the weekend. Orhime took the opportunity to try to talk to Ichigo, who still leaned on his elbow quietly. "Kurosaki-kun, I think you need to read this," she whispered so no one else would hear her. She placed her wrinkled newspaper on his desk while trying to smooth out the creases.

Ichigo eyed a small section on the front page. There was a blurry picture of an intersection, somewhere presumably in Karakura, and the mangled wreck of a car in the middle of it.

"All right you boogers, take your seats!" cheered their teacher as she burst through the room. She held two male students by their collar and thrust them towards the rows of desks. "It's not quite the weekend, even though I want it to be, so let's go and pretend that the weekend will come faster if we rush through the lessons today!"

"She is so weird," mumbled Keigo as he trudged towards his desk.

A flash sparked in their teacher's eye. She threw an eraser loaded with chalk dust through the air, and it hit Keigo squarely on his forehead. "I heard that," she said flatly.

Ichigo smirked at the sight of the white dust contrasting with the red bruise surfacing on his friend's forehead. Then the movement of another figure at the front of the room caught his attention. His fingers curled at the newspaper on his desk, crumpling the paper for a second time.

"It can't be," he struggled to think as his mouth went dry. His heart raced in his chest. Ichigo felt that he would've risen to his feet and rushed to kiss her if he wasn't so floored by her sudden appearance.

"Kuchiki-san?" he heard Orihime whisper. Her brown eyes were also focused at the girl in the front of the room before she quickly turned her head to look at Ichigo. She saw his eyes locked straight ahead, his mouth slightly agape. If Orihime concentrated enough, she swore she could feel his pulse pounding against the surface of his skin.

Ichigo would not be mistaken. His eyes wandered up and down the girl's figure; she barely reached midway to the chalkboard behind her, her whole frame lean and delicate like he remembered. Although she held her hands behind her back, she still fidgeted with small movements in her feet and shifting her weight from side to side. Her head was slightly bowed, but Ichigo finally got a good look at what he wanted to see when she looked up timidly at the classroom full of scrutinizing students: the girl had Rukia's captivating violet eyes. No more doubt lingered in his mind.

"Everyone, welcome Kuchiki Rukia-chan here. She's starting this semester late, but I know you little snots will be polite," said the teacher as she placed two firm hands on Rukia's shoulders and giving her a hard push. "Take the seat next to Kurosaki, but don't be afraid, he likes to scowl even though he's as soft as a bunny."

Ichigo groaned at his teacher's reference, but suddenly went on the alert when he realized that Rukia was walking his way. Rukia nodded silently before starting her way down the aisle between desks. She tried not to think about the stares aimed in her direction or how the whispers seemed to grow with each step she took. Her feet felt heavier as she neared an empty desk next to a boy with bright orange hair. The boy didn't seem to care as she walked by; he kept his gaze straight ahead, his eyes not even flickering towards her for a second glance. She might have been imagining it, but the air seemed thicker around him, making it harder for her to breathe. Rukia remembered she felt like this last night in the hospital, during the earthquake that shook the building for about five mintues. She felt downright scared.

Rukia took her seat wordlessly, trying to command her lungs to take in air. She began to wonder if taking Nurse Usagi's advice was the best course of action at the moment.

_"There are no reasons for you to stay in the hospital anymore," she said in the morning. In her hand, Usagi held a hanger with a gray school uniform, freshly pressed. "Here are your papers and directions to your school and apartment. Maybe if you see some of your classmates, they'll be able to help you out."_

Although she survivied a major accident, Rukia didn't feel any emotions or gratitude towards her life now. Apparently she didn't have any living relatives, so her choices for the day were either go home to an unfamiliar, empty home, or try going to school. She didn't realize she would almost suffocate at Karakura High.

Ichigo dared to look to his right. Even though Rukia came back and sat in her usual seat next to him, he felt something was off when she didn't acknowledge him, not even with the slightest nod. He watched her take in a breath through her petite nose and exhale through her lips, her eyes focused on the ceiling. Something was missing.

Suddenly, Rukia's violet eyes were on Ichigo. She arched an eyebrow questioningly. "Why are you staring at me?" she asked. Even her voice sounded different.

Blinking quickly, not realizing he was gaping at the girl, Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Short Stack?" he blurted.

Rukia's was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Oh come on Rukia, it's me."

A worried look graced the girl's face. She looked away, choosing to gaze forward at their teacher, who was writing furiously on the chalkboard. "I'm so sorry, but I don't..." Suddenly, Rukia flashed her classmate a smile. "Kurosaki-san, right? I'm sorry but...your name escapes me at the moment."

Ichigo knew that smile all too well. He remembered the first time Rukia appeared in his class, the day after she gave him her Shinigami powers. He hated it whenever she used that wide smile and high-pitched voice of innocence because it was fake. Whenever Rukia used it, she never let herself shine through, although he was confident that their classmates wouldn't have a problem accepting her anyway. Ichigo just preferred it when she was herself, and he especially didn't like this new Rukia who didn't even know his name.

"Ichigo," he replied quietly, letting his eyes burn into hers. "Kursosaki Ichigo."

"Ichigo," Rukia repeated mindlessly. She felt her cheeks burn as she held his stare. His amber gaze stirred something inside of her, making her pulse race. As brilliant and piercing his eyes were, Rukia felt slightly uncomfortable and tore away from Ichigo. "That's good to know."

Not knowing what else to do except frown, Ichigo eased back into this chair but kept his eyes on Rukia. The girl seemed determinded to not pay him any more attention during their morning classes.

* * *

The bell for lunch couldn't have come any later. Simultaneously, Ichigo's classmates got to their feet, stretching their bodies in preparation for the break in school. Rukia also stood, but did not bother to look at the boy next to her. She grabbed the few books she managed to collect from her desk and tried to hurry outside. She was eager to breathe normally, without the weight of Kurosaki Ichigo glaring at her.

The orange-haired student wasn't about to let her get away. He kept his steps purposefully a few inches behind her, and when he saw the last of their classmates leave the room, he struck, snatching Rukia's wrist in his hand.

"What are you doing?!" she yelped, but Ichigo yanked her close, almost into his chest. The small noise caught in her throat.

Ichigo caught the faint smell of strawberries and lavendar; it certainly smelled like his Rukia. He glared at the smaller girl until she looked up at him, directly into his eyes. "Don't you think it's time to quit this?" he growled in a low voice. "I didn't think it'd be this awkward when you came back, but you don't have to completely ignore me."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ichigo! Unhand me right now!" Rukia struggled against his grip, but Ichigo did not relent. Instead, she kicked his shin.

"Ouch!" Ichigo hissed. He bent down to clutch his leg, and when he was low enough, Rukia swung her books directly at his head. Ichigo fell down with a loud thud. "Are you crazy woman?!"

"YOU are the crazy one!" she yelled back. Rukia suppressed the urge to stomp on his bright orange head. "I don't know who you think you are, but no one manhandles me like that!"

Ichigo's only response were long groans. He didn't have enough hands to massage the pain out of his shin and throbbing head. Rukia glared at him from above, her chest heaving with adrenaline-ridden breaths. She may not know who this guy was, but she knew that she was more furious than scared or offended. Suddenly, an image flashed in her head. Her vision became dark, and she saw something outdoors like a street or a sidewalk. In the middle of the ground, Rukia saw a dark outline of a body laying face-down, but there was no mistaking the person it by color of their hair. Rukia envisioned Ichigo laying in a large puddle of blood, the red streaks soaking his usual orange hue into a dark red and matted mess. This time, fear took over her body.

"I have to go," she whispered before spinning on her heels and exiting the room. Rukia accidentally brushed her shoulder against someone, but she didn't bother to look up from the ground. She muttered a quick apology, then hurried to the nearest building exit.

Their accidental bump happened too quick for Orihime to be taken back. Before she realized what happened or even turn around, Rukia rushed through the doors and disappeared from her sight. Turning back around, Orihime scanned the empty classroom, but no one was there. However, a low groan, focused her attention to the floor right behind the teacher's desk. "Kurosaki-kun?" she asked, stepping closer to the crumpled heap on the ground.

"Hey Inoue," Ichigo replied, taking his time to raise himself on his knees. He looked up at Orihime, but a large bump forming on his forehead made his head seem twice as heavy as it really was. "I'm pretty convinced that it's the real Rukia, but if she isn't, then this new girl sure hits like her."

"Should I even ask if you did anything to provoke her?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I just asked her some questions and called her a few endearing nicknames. She kind of freaked out and pretended like she didn't know me, but I don't think I did anything to make her mad at me."

Orihime's eyebrows wrinkled, and she fiddled with something in her hands. Taking in a shallow breath, she took one of Ichigo's hands and pressed the item into his palm before looking up at him. The sorrow in her brown eyes were unmistakable. "I found this on the floor by your desk. I was trying to get you to read it before, but I guess there was so much commotion in class this morning. Of course I didn't realize that Kuchiki-san would be coming to school today, but...there's definitely something you need to know about her."

Her words caused a sort of eerie aura around the two, and Ichigo began to sweat a little under his collar. With Rukia's extended absense and now sudden appearance, he felt helpless at keeping his brain in order. Ichigo's fingers played at the edges of what Orihime handed him; the same newspaper clipping she had given him in the morning stared up at him once more. This time, his eyes caught the headline.

**Tragic Crash Kills Three; Leaves One Survivor.**

But the smaller follow-up sentence brought the devestating blow.

_**Younger sister of Japanese Diplomat lays in a coma, doctors say in very critical condition.**_

* * *

"So...you're saying that the fool just assaulted Kuchiki-san with his usual brashness and freaked her out?"

"I didn't freak her out!" protested Ichigo, his mouth full of chewed up sandwich bits. He began to hack up the dry bread.

Ishida Uryuu pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, using the movement to hide his smirk behind a hand that covered most of his face. Even though he did not fear gloating over Ichigo upfront, he didn't want any rogue food particles making its way from Kurosaki's mouth to his face.

"This seems like a high-profile accident," Sado stated, before a full-blown arugment erupted. He skimmed the article again, for his second time. "I'm really surprised we didn't hear about this sooner."

Orihime took ahold of the newspaper clipping again. It made its way around the foursome as they sat together on the roof eating lunch. Although they couldn't have asked for better weather as the sun shone in the cloudless sky, they really took refuge far away from their peers so they had the freedom to talk without being overheard. "I wish we could somehow get in contact with Soul Society about this," said the only female in the group. "I think something strange might be going on."

"What do we need to talk about? Rukia is back, and they probably sent her here," Ichigo scowled. He seemed to be in the worst mood, even though he had finally been reuinted with his closet buddy. He stretched out on his back to admire the cerulean ceiling.

Ishida scoffed. "Are you dense, Kurosaki? Don't you think it's weird that Rukia has no idea who you are, and that she's mentioned in the newspaper?" Ichigo snorted back his response to the matter, and the Quincy just chose to ignore him. "Something weird is going on, and we better find out what it is, in case some Hollows decide to go after Rukia. We should find her and analyze whether she emits reiatsu."

"Or maybe you could relax, Ishida," Ichigo interjected. He propped himself up on his elbow, his eyes shooting daggers at the dark-haired boy. "You're starting to sound creepy, like that clown Captain guy."

"I am NOT like Kurotsuchi, take that back!"

"Then take back that crap about how I'm brash and dense! I hate it when you say that!"

"But it's TRUE!"

Meanwhile, Sado and Orihime shook their heads as the two started bickering. They figured they would be fighting for a while and continued to brainstorm the possibilities of Rukia's sudden appearance.

"I didn't realize that Rukia had a sister, let alone know that her sister was one of our country's foreign diplomats," said Sado, breaking the silence. He took the newspaper clip in his large hand, reading the small print once more. "I'm a little too wary to think that it's really her."

Orihime frowned. "Well it's obvious that she has a brother, but maybe Rukia had a sister in Soul Society who we didn't know about. We can ask Urahara-san after school gets out, but for now, I think Ishida has a point. I'm going to go find Kuchiki-san, talk to her, and see if she has any reiatsu that might attract Hollows."

She finished the last of her lunch and took to her feet. Usually Orihime, Rukia, and the other girls in their class ate lunch under the shade of the large oak tree by the school fence, so that would be the first place she'd start to look. Sado nodded silently as he watched her receeding form, then went back to eating his sandwich while eyeing the article again, as if searching for hidden meanings in the sentences he had just about memorized. Luckily, the racket of Ichigo and Ishida fighting boiled down to few mumbling exchanges.

"Oi Chad, where did Orihime go?" Ichigo asked, this time focusing his attention on stabbing his juicebox with the straw.

"To talk to Rukia," Sado replied, not bothering to look up from the article.

Ichigo slurped his apple juice loudly, making Ishida curl the end of his lips in disgust. The Shinigami slurped even louder. "About how she's taking this 'I'm-going-to-ignore-Ichigo' bit too seriously? I mean, what's her problem?"

"Kurosaki-baka! Are you completely unaware that Rukia may be in our world on accident _because_ of an accident?!" Ishida bellowed in his ear.

Ichigo crushed the poor juice box in his fist as he turned to get right up in Ishida's face. The two were so close, their foreheads touched. "What are you talking about, Four Eyes?!" he screeched back.

"The newspaper article, Moron!"

"What newspaper article?!"

The Quincy clenched his teeth in frustration. He thought the vein in his forehead may burst because Ichigo got him so worked up. For what Ichigo had in reiatsu and pure, unadulterated stubborness, the Shinigami lacked in perception. Ishida took in slow, deep breaths before responding in forced and very enunciated syllables. "Kurosaki-kun, all morning, Inoue-chan tried to get you to read a certain newspaper clipping that was about a car accident that involved two women with the surname Kuchiki, Hisana and Rukia. You held this actual paper several times up until now, so I can only wonder the possibilities of why you have absolutely no idea what is going on when the three of us have been talking about it this entire time. Do you understand that we are up on the school roof so no one will hear us talk about Hollows, those things we kill; Rukia, the Shinigami who gave you your powers and for whom you went nose-close to dying for; and Soul Society, the spiritual place where Kuchiki-san really belongs?"

Ichigo's glare deepened out of disapproval of Ishida's tone of voice, and he turned to Sado. "Is he talking to me like this because he's bitter that he lost his powers in Soul Society?"

"Kurosakiiiiiiiiiii!"

Sado swiftly stepped between the two just as Ishida leapt at Ichigo's throat and easily caught the him under his arm in a football hold. Although Ichigo began to laugh and stick his tongue out at Ishida, the Quincy reached out and struck him on the forehead, right where Rukia hit him earlier with her books.

"Why you-!"

Ichigo lunged forward, but Sado moved just as fast. The much larger man gripped Ichigo by his collar and lifted him off the ground, holding him with an outreached arm so the two would stop attacking each other. Sado noted the beginnings of a migrane implanting itself at the back of his head. Ichigo, whose long legs felt heavy as they dangled off the ground, crossed his arms over his chest in a quiet pout. On Sado's other side, Ishida frowned as his Quincy Pride suffered while being held like a misbehaved dog. He hoped that it really was Rukia who had come back because he couldn't take being Ichigo's target for taking out frustrations anymore. His hopes went with Orihime, noting that his blood pressure couldn't take the suspense anymore.

* * *

**whew! i thought i'd never be satisfied with this chapter, but i think it came out okay. thanks to everyone who have been reviewing and adding the story to their alerts; i'm truly flattered. sorry about not knowing their teacher's name, i tried to look it up but i didn't really get results (plus i was being lazy). i'll proclaim IchiRuki forever, but it's fun writing Orihime. she's sweet, but she'll never get Ichigo in my world. more Ichigo-Rukia interactions next chapter!**


	5. Finding Friends Again

forgive me if i'm young  
speaking out of turn  
there's someone i've been missing  
i think that they could be the better half of me  
i'm in the wrong place trying to make it right  
but i'm tired of jumping in fights

* * *

**Chapter Five  
Finding Friends Again**

Orihime walked slowly through the court yard full of students scattered everywhere on the grass, sitting at tables, and standing while chatting. Although it was easy dressing in uniforms for their school, it certainly wasn't easy trying to pick out a specific person amidst the similarly-dressed crowd. She made it to the large tree without any results, and to her dismay, she couldn't find Tatsuki or Chizuru to ask if they had seen Rukia at all. She rested for a bit under the cool shade of the tree's wide overhang, remembering the last time she had been in this same place with Rukia. She recalled the day that the other girls wanted to know the detailed extent of Rukia's relationship with Ichigo, and if Orihime's memory served her correctly, she remembered the deep shade of pink surfacing on Rukia's cheeks. Of the group present, only Orihime travelled to Soul Society and knew the true answer to the question, besides Rukia herself.

She sighed. "But if Kuchiki-san had the will to come back for him, then I must help my friends find happiness together!"

Orihime pounded her fist against her palm. She had seen main characters in action movies execute that move countless times, but she didn't realize how much it would actually sting if when you hit yourself that hard. Shaking out the pain, she lifted a finger to her lip and tapped it several times. She had also seen the brainy characters in movies use this pose right before they came up with their great schemes. Fortunately, Orihime didn't have to think too hard when an idea hit her right on the top of her head.

A plastic straw fell by her feet.

"Oh, I am so sorry for that!" said a voice.

Orihime looked around frantically, but the owner of the voice remained invisible. _"Can Hollows use straws to drink?" _she asked herself before frowning.

"Wait! I can see Hollows!" she exclaimed out loud.

"What's a Hollow?" the voice asked.

This time, Orihime deduced that the straw and the voice came from the same place, which happened to be up above her. She tilted her head to see two pale legs dangling lazily over the edge of the tree branch. Kuchiki Rukia waved with a timid smile.

"Sorry again for dropping my straw on you," she said cheerily.

Orihime noted that it was what she liked to call Rukia's "sweet voice". It wasn't a good first sign.

"I don't really want it back though, I can't use it if it's dirty," Rukia continued.

"Kuchiki-san, I've been looking all over for you!" Orihime replied, trying to match the cheerfullness in the dark-haired girl's tone of voice.

"You have?" Rukia replied slowly. She couldn't avoid the frown that tugged at the ends of her mouth while she looked at the girl who stood underneath her with the suspect straw in her fingers. No name appeared in Rukia's mind to help her identify the girl talking to her. Taking in a deep breath and one last look from her high vantage point, Rukia scooted herself off the branch, landing soundlessly on her feet. Somehow, her instincts knew that she could make the landing. "I'm sorry if this sounds crazy to you, but I can't think of your name. Are we friends?"

Orihime smiled, hoping her wrinkled eyebows didn't give away her awkwardness. The doctor's suspicions from the newspaper article were correct in assuming that Rukia would have some amnesia as a direct result from the accident. If Rukia couldn't remember her name or Ichigo, then there was little hope in Rukia remembering her significance in the spiritual world. "My name is Inoue Orihime," she answered. "And yes, I am very fortunate to be your friend."

Rukia nodded enthusiastically, but then a silence quickly fell between the two girls. While the shorter girl resorted to forming lines in the dirt with her shoe, Orihime only watched at Rukia. Upon feeling the weight of her stare, she finally looked up. "You said that you were looking for me?" Rukia asked, breaking the silence but unsuccessfully avoiding the awkwardness.

"Yes, I almost forgot! I just wanted to talk to you and see if you remembered me," she replied. Orihime's smile teetered to an almost regretful look. "But I see that you don't."

"Please don't be offended, I don't think I could handle that right now. Like I said, and it probably sounds crazy, but apparently I am suffering from amnesia. It's quite bothersome." Rukia took a slow look around the school yard. An emptiness fell into the pit of her stomach when she took in the busy clusteres of her fellow students, and she looked down at the ground. "I don't really feel anything right now...except maybe lonely..."

Remembering that she had just introduced herself to Orihime, the shorter girl tried to put on a good face for her. Orihime, however, understood that the look seemed familiar to Ichigo's forced expressions when he felt particularily worried.

"That sounds terrible, Kuchiki-san," Orihime said softly. She reached out to put a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "You must be feeling very alone without any memories, but if you'll believe me...you are the strongest girl I know."

Rukia gazed into Orihime's brown eyes; they didn't mock her or pity her. Nothing but honesty shone in the mahogany pools, and a warm feeling filled Rukia from deep within. There was something comforting and familiar with Orihime's gaze. The more they looked at each other, the more Rukia felt pulled in by the warmth the other girl naturally emitted.

A darkness.

It looked more like a bruise.

Rukia's eyes grew wide when she saw the image flash in her mind. As sweet as Orihime naturally acted, Rukia felt a darkness at the base of her aura. Although she suddenly felt apprehensive, those feelings didn't amount to the sadness she felt when she looked at the taller girl. Maybe someone abused her, or maybe she was just innocently accident prone, Rukia couldn't decide. All that she knew was that Inoue Orihime bruised easily.

"Kuchiki-san, are you okay?"

Orihime's voice snapped her out of her flurry of thoughts. Rukia smiled back at her. "That is a very kind thing to say, Orihime. Please, call me by my first name."

The girl nodded in agreement. A crinkling sound emitted from her fingers, followed by a loud growl from her stomach. A pink flush crept up to Orihime's cheeks. "I'm sorry, I haven't eaten yet. Did you finish your lunch, Kuchiki...I mean, Rukia? You should sit and eat with me. I'm very sorry about your accident. When I heard about it, I have to admit it was...unexpected."

Rukia shrugged, and the two sat under the large shadow of the tree. Her violet eyes returned to skimming the horizon filled with students dressed all the same, but none of them seemed to pay any attention to her. At least now she had someone to talk to, even if she herself did not have much to say. "So you heard about my accident, huh?" Rukia didn't mean to sound so brash about it, but to be honest, she had no feelings towards that which she didn't know. "Would you mind telling me about it? I don't even know what happened, except that the doctors told me that I was in a car wreck and my sister was driving. She...didn't make it."

"That's horrible!" gasped Orihime, dropping her drink to put both her hands on her mouth.

It seemed a little excess for Rukia. She shook her head. "I know, and I'm sorry for sounding so nonchalant about it, but I don't remember _anything_. The doctors just released me from the hospital, thinking that I can land on my feet, but it's ridiculous. I guess I'm feeling pretty bitter." Looking at Orihime's still wide-eyed expression, Rukia sighed and smiled at her. As confused as she was feeling, she at least knew that she felt strong enough to depend on herself. "It's okay Orihime, don't make me feel bad by having more of a reaction than me. Could you just tell me what you know about the accident?"

"It was early in the evening, at about sunset, but for some reason, your sister swerved from your lane into the opposing traffic. There were three total casualities, including your sister," she replied. Orihime blinked quietly before patting her pockets and frantically searching around her belongings. She wrinkled her eyebrows apologetically. "I had the newspaper article, but I think that Sado-kun has it. I'll get it back from him as soon as I'm done eating."

"Oh, okay," Rukia replied quietly. So there were more deaths than the doctors had told her about. Rukia felt the terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach dig itself deeper. "I would really appreciate it if I could get that from you."

Another silence fell between the girls. Rukia wondered if it was usually this difficult to carry on conversation with others. Her mind thought about the people involved in the accident, wondering if they had left family behind and whether those people would be furious about the accident. Then her thoughs went to herself; although Rukia couldn't connect with other emotions besides her unaffected blankness, she wondered what kind of person she was before the accident. Would she go to find the people and apologize to them? Was she shy or outgoing? Her eyes flickered towards the orange-haired girl across from her. Did she have many more friends besides Orihime? Maybe out of respect for her or maybe because they genuinely did not know Kuchiki Rukia, no one else had come to talk to her at school.

Except Kurosaki Ichigo.

Rukia stunned herself when her mind immediately thought of him. Her cheeks tingled with heat when she remembered the feel of his strong hand on her wrist and the smell of his cologne radiating from his chest. Although the image of him soaked in blood had initially scared her, when Rukia recalled him now, the fear did not remain as much as the warmth settling inside of her. She couldn't fight the smile curling the ends of her lips.

"Orihime," she said aloud. "Do I have any more friends?"

"Of course you do!" Orihime replied cheerfully. She began to count on her fingers, which were stained with a purple-ish color. Rukia didn't want to ponder the possibilities of what she could be eating. "There's Mizuiro-san and Asano-kun, both of whom share your love of the Don Kanonji show. You know Tatsuki-chan and me, and of course you know Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, and Kurosaki-kun. The five of us are actually quite close."

"You're saying that I'm close with...Ichigo?" Rukia said slowly. She understood his actions were not out of reason for him, especially if they were close friends.

The loud ringing of the bell caused the mass of students to rise to their feet and head towards the building. Although lunch had ended, the list of questions lingering in Rukia's mind did not. Now, with the latest revelation, many begun to revolve around her orange-haired classmate. Rukia fell in step with Orihime as the two made their way to their classroom.

"Sado-kun!" gasped Orihime.

Rukia's eyes darted to the right to see three male classmates approaching them. More specifically, there was only one very tall and muscular male classmate with long brown hair who walked towards them, and in either of his thick arms, he held two more people; the one tucked under one arm wore square-shaped glasses and had sleek black hair, and the other being held by his collar was a very pouty Ichigo. Her first response entailed a giggle that caught Ichigo's attention, and the two locked eyes for a few seconds. Rukia suddenly felt hot under his stare and immediately turned her attention to the ground. Silently, Ichigo frowned deeper as he waited for Sado to either put him down or carry him to their classroom. In the meanwhile, he figured he could go along for the free ride.

"They were fighting," Sado replied to Orihime, who continued to stare at the three of them.

"Kurosaki started it," Ishida mumbled as the giant finally put him down. He brushed out the wrinkles in his school uniform, checked his hair, and finished off by adjusting his glasses so they sat straight at the top of his nose bridge.

"I did not!" protested Ichigo. Sado instantly stood between the two, staring down the smaller Shinigami Substitute. Ichigo crossed his arms and stood quietly.

"Please, not in front of Rukia," Orihime protested.

The named girl waved with her small hand but didn't smile. She didn't feel too attached to the new trio in front of her, but she was trying her hardest to ignore Ichigo.

"Don't worry Kuchiki-san," said the boy with glasses. He had finished grooming himself and started to head into the building. As he passed her, he didn't bother looking at her or adding any more awkward formalities. He treated Rukia quite normally, and to her surprise, she felt relieved by the casual treatment. "You get used to this idiot, and when you start remembering everything, you can be the one who can beat Kurosaki back into place again."

Without further conversation, Ishida walked away from the group. Next followed Ichigo, who snorted as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Rukia held her breath while he brushed past her, remembering how thick the aura around the frowning boy felt. His gaze peeked at her from the corner of his eyes and met with hers, but Ichigo broke it after a second. She felt terrible that she was probably doing something to him with every cold reaction he threw at her, but she didn't know exactly what.

"Wow, Orihime. Are we really all good friends?" Rukia said aloud, her eyes following the tall figure retreating down the hall. "You really are fooling me then. What kind of person was I if I used to beat Ichigo?"

The remaining male put his large hand on Rukia's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. His grip almost crushed Rukia. With a quick nod, he followed the other two guys int the building. Things were getting weirder by the minute.

"Do you have any plans after school, Rukia?" Orihime asked, grabbing the smaller girl's arm and hurrying her through the hallway behind the guys. The number of students running to their classes dwindled, and she didn't want them getting in trouble with their slightly eccentric teacher. "I want you to meet someone who may help you with your amnesia."

"I'm down for it if it'll be any less awkward than this day at school," she replied, taking her seat next to Orihime. "You still didn't introduce me to everyone. I don't know those two guys' names."

The two girls shared a stifled giggle as their sensei commanded the classroom from her post at the front. The smile remained on Rukia's lips as she turned forward. She didn't notice the pair of amber eyes watching her laugh, their owner a little relieved to see the elusive smile of the usually reserved Kuchiki.

* * *

The afternoon bell rang, signaling the end of yet another school day. The very exuberant Keigo tip-toed behind Ichigo, preparing for his second surprise attack since the first in the morning did not fare well on his side. They usually never did, but that didn't stop him from trying. He wiggled his fingers ready to either slap Ichigo across the back of the head or tickle him to death, Keigo hadn't decided yet, and positioned himself directly behind his friend. As he silently reeled back to strike, Ichigo stood from his seat, hitting Keigo directly in the stomach with the solid chair, making him double over. Then Ichigo slung his briefcase up over his shoulder, knocking Keigo's head back from under his chin.

He landed on his butt with a loud grunt.

"Keigo-baka, what do you think you're doing?" Ichigo barked, turning his head slightly to glare at his friend over his shoulder.

The spastic student rubbed his chin. "I was just going to ask you if you wanted to go to the arcade now, maybe pick up some girls who are on their way to the mall," he replied with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry Keigo-kun, but Ichigo is coming with us to a friend's house," Orihime interrupted. She ran up to the pair with Rukia's arm looped in hers.

Keigo stared up at the girls before glancing at Ichigo, continuing the loop of staring with his mouth open at the beautiful girls and then the frowning Ichigo. Orihime, Ichigo. Rukia, Ichigo. Rukia and Orihime, Ichigo. Orihime and Rukia, Ichigo. HOT GIRLS...Ichigo. Did he even realize?

"Ichigo! How can you hold out on me, your very single and very desperate friend?!" Keigo shrieked, unaware of the stares he got from their classmates.

"What are you blabbering about? I'm not holding from anything, you idiot!"

"Are you kidding? You hold in your hands the two delicate flowers of our class and are not capitalizing on it! How can you be so selfish while my youth is wasting away, my love going unshared?"

"Is this guy for real?" Rukia interjected. She didn't know whether to laugh at the boisterous Keigo or wince away from him.

In an instant, Keigo leapt to his feet, popping up right in Rukia's face, grasping her hand within his. "Oh Kuchiki-san, if you only knew the tenderness this gentleman could bestow upon your lovely face. I heard of the trials you are going through, and I am more than willing to bend to your will." He inched forward, his face so close that their noses almost touched. "I am willing to do _anything_ for you, my love."

"Keigo, get away from her!" snapped Ichigo. He grabbed Rukia's hands from Keigo's grip, pulling her away from the crazed one and hurried out of the classroom, Orihime and Sado in tow.

Rukia had to trot to keep up with Ichigo's long strides. She hadn't fought his grip on her wrist this time, but followed him quietly, waiting for some kind of reaction from her body or an image to flash in he rmind. Nothing came, and suddenly, they found themselves outside of school when Ichigo finally stopped.

"I don't want you hanging around him," Ichigo said quietly as he turned to face her. "He may be a little much for you right now."

Rukia stared back at the taller man, realizing he still didn't relinquish his hold on her. She looked down to point it out to him, and she may have been imagining it, but Ichigo seemed a little slow to let go. "Ichigo, I'm not quite sure whether you are looking out for me or are just flat out jealous of...that guy..."

"Keigo?" Ichigo laughed. He leaned over to stare directly into the lavendar pools, making Rukia shrink back slightly. "If you really remember who I am, then you'd know I have nothing to be jealous about."

"Who are you, Ichigo?" whispered Rukia, the lowness of her voice even surprising herself. She finally looked away. "To be honest, you really kind of scare me."

Ichigo felt like his hand moved on its own, and he didn't feel like stopping himself. He cupped the side of Rukia's face and turned it so she looked at him again. Ichigo didn't know what he was looking for as he gazed at her, but suddenly the sadness he felt when he realized that he wasn't looking at his best friend seemed to dwarf to the size of Ichigo's resolve that he would just make her remember him. After his venture into Soul Society, this embarkment seemed like an easy enough task.

He thought he saw Rukia's lower lip quiver, and it took all of his resolve to not kiss her right then. Didn't kisses solve everything in the fairytales? Ichigo flashed his signature grin, the one he always and only used on Rukia, the girl who had seen the deepest, most secret sides of him. "Yo Rukia," he said quietly. "Don't be afraid of me. You're not afraid of anything, Stumps."

Rukia gazed into the warm amber pools of Ichigo's eyes. Nothing but sincerity radiated from them, and something about the way he said her name sent shivers down her spine. She looked at Ichigo's full profile lingering tall above her. With the sun in the background, shining down on Ichigo's features in all of their glory, she had to admit to herself that he looked handsome. Then something clicked in her mind. Rukia had gazed up at Ichigo once before, with him hovering above her. There was the same warmth accompanying this new feeling, something bordering on a smoldering heat, and she felt a reverence towards the man standing across from her. But suddenly Rukia's demeanor changed.

"Stumps?!" she scoffed. "I may have forgotten you, but I don't think we're close enough for a horrible nickname like Stumps."

Ichigo chucked softly. "Good, at least we're making a little progress here. I'll just warn you now you better be thinking of retorts because I have a whole arsenal Midget...Hobbit, Shortness, Yoda..."

"Yoda?"

"It's a long story."

"Then you'll have to enlighten me sometime, Kurosaki," Rukia said. The grin on Ichigo's face was infectious, and a soft smile spread on Rukia's lips as well. She laughed out of embarrassment. "I'm sorry for decking you this afternoon, by the way. But in my defense, you scared the crap out of me."

Ichigo shrugged. "I guess I should apologize too. I'm sorry for grabbing you like that."

"And you're sure you're that you're less volatile than the Keigo guy?"

"Promise."

Rukia nodded, the smile on her face growing wider. "Okay, I'll have to remember this then: the guys in my class are all crazy and full of themselves."

"Hey, that's not fair, you just met me," Ichigo protested.

"Whatever you say...tree."

"Tree? That's the best you could come up with Nubs?"

Rukia had to laugh. She was glad she felt relaxed, not apprehensive, around Ichigo, and she certainly appreciated the conversation he offered when she actually got to talk to him. It seemed more engaging and straightforward than how she talked with Orihime at lunch time. "I'm sorry, was 'tree' not up to par then? I just kind of said the first thing that popped up in my mind. You're just kind of tall and lanky. How about Lanks, is that insulting enough?"

"Absolutely not," Ichigo smirked. "Midget."

The two broke out into laughter as Sado and Orihime walked up to them. Orihime watched the pair recover after their fit, surpressing her initial amazement that Rukia and Ichigo had already fallen into ease with each other so quickly. She coughed to announce the two new arrivals.

"We waited for him outside of class and checked the afterschool clubs to see if he was there," she said when she had their attention. "But we couldn't find Ishida-kun anywhere. I think he may have already gone home, so I guess we'll have to go to Urahara's without him."

"Ishida?" Rukia repeated.

"The one with the glasses and the stick up his ass," Ichigo replied, nudging Rukia with his elbow.

Rukia slapped his arm away playfully. "If I remember lunch time correctly, then wouldn't that stick be you? You two were arguing fantastically earlier." She snapped her finger. "Stick! How about that Kurosaki, you Ass Stick!"

Shaking his head, Ichigo began to lead the way towards Urahara's. He shoved his hands in his pockets, but his thumb played with the edges of his Shinigami badge that hung on his waistline. Ichigo wondered if Rukia could see the bronze hexagon with a black skull in the middle of it. "Good effort, but keep trying Short Stack."

The girls followed Ichigo with Sado walking behind them last. Rukia purposefully kept their distance a bit away from Ichigo, and when she felt that he couldn't hear them, she looped her arm through Orihime's. "Tell me that I hated him this much before," Rukia whispered to the other girl. "I just want to smack that look of his right off his face."

"Which look?"

Rukia's eyes narrowed and her lips formed a round pout. "That smirk of his! It frustrates me to no end! He smiles but he only lifts one of the corners of his mouth, and that look alone just warns everyone within a ten mile radius that he's a little punk full of teenage angst. That stupid smile of his just...frustrates me!"

Orihime walked on silently. "_I don't think I've ever seen Ichigo smile like that before,"_ she thought sadly.

"Would you girls stop talking about me," Ichigo interrupted. He had stopped, his hands still in his pockets, in front of a modest storefront that didn't even look open to Rukia. "We're here."

The group faced a small brown building with the front windows covered with sliding metal doors. At the top, a large sign read "Urahara Shop".

"Why did you bring us here? I thought we were going to see one of your friends," said Rukia.

"I did! You're going to talk to the guy who owns this place, Urahara Kisuke," Ichigo replied. He pointed a finger at Rukia's nose. "_You_ were the one who introduced him to us."

"Is that a good or bad thing? Because I am wondering why your finger in my face."

"So I can do this," Ichigo replied, and bopped the tip of Rukia's nose.

The shorter girl swatted at the guilty hand, but Ichigo's reflexes were too fast. She kicked at his legs and missed. "You stupid...stupid...BERRY!" Rukia spat at her assailant. Suddenly, an imaged flashed in her mind accompanied by a loss of breath. She saw Ichigo with a giant wing attached to his arm. They were outside on a wooden bridge, and she noticed that under Ichigo's black garb, his chest was covered in bandages. Rukia rubbed her eyes, silently berating herself. _A giant wing, really?_

"Rukia, are you okay?" asked Ichigo. The sound of his voice rejuvenated her, and she felt the warmth of his hand on her shoulder.

"Rukia! Is it really my favorite customer and her Ryoka friends?!" came a voice.

Orihime tore her eyes away as she watched Ichigo take more interest in Rukia than the arrival of the shop owner Urahara. He placed a hand on his striped hat, each step he took towards the group accentuated by a click of his wooden sandals. In an instant, Urahara wrapped an arm around Rukia, crushing her into his side. "What do I owe this pleasure? Are we here for training? Do you need me to open a Senkai gate for more chaos in Sereitei?" He looked down at Rukia and ruffled her hair. "When did you get back from Soul Society? I'm offended that I was kept out of the loop, I had no idea you were assigned back in Karakura. How is Byakuya and Renji?"

When no answer came from the short Shinigami, Urahara took a look around at Ichigo, Orihime, and Sado. "Why is everyone signaling me to stop talking?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the three.

"Because you have a big mouth," Ichigo muttered. He strode past the store owner, grabbing his arm to pull him inside. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"Of course," Urahara replied. He motioned for the rest of the group to follow them. "Come inside, my friends! I'll get Tessai to make his wonderful tea while I speak to the ever-gentle Kurosaki-kun."

* * *

**and i'm back! sorry for the delay, but i had family visiting this past week. despite having minimal time to work on the story, i did write more than enough for 1 chapter, so i ended up splitting what i had into 2, in case if you were thinking the end of this chapter was a little abrupt. expect the next chapter to be posted soon, and rejoice, for i'm getting into some good Ichi-Rukia stuffs! thanks again for the reviews, adds, and alerts. a quick shout-out to TennantFangirl for her great encouragements and Theresa Crane whom i share quirky messages with, haha!**


	6. The Pimp Stick

so i say to you come home  
cause i've been waiting for you for so long  
right now there's a war between the vanities  
but all i see is you and me  
the fight for you is all i've ever known

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**The Pimp Stick**

"He sure seems friendly," Rukia said as she followed Orihime. They took a seat around a small table in the middle of the modest-sized room. While they had walked through the store, Rukia didn't notice any products or groceries on the shelves, which made her wonder what exactly Urahara's Store did have in stock.

"He knows a lot actually," Orihime replied. "We're hoping he may be able to help you recover your memory."

"Is he a doctor or something?"

"No, not exactly. You could say that Urahara is a..."

"Genius," Sado finished. He did not say anything else, and Rukia arched an eyebrow at him. She deduced that in her world, the larger the person, the less they talked.

Another tall and strange man walked into the room. Although he looked very serious, the smile void from his face replaced with tightly locked lips and braided hair, he breezed through the room without a sound and delicately placed a tray with a full tea setting onto the short table in the room.

"Thank you, Tessai-san!" Orihime said happily, and Sado nodded his head in agreement.

Rukia watched Tessai the whole time he moved through the room, a strange feeling creeping throughout her body. She felt a tingling in her hands, and she looked down to inspect them. Rukia felt powerful, like her hands were itching to do something in particular, so she moved them, opening and closing them for a few seconds until she realized that even if she could do that something with them, Rukia knew she couldn't remember what it was anyway. She looked up to meet her eyes with Tessai's gaze from behind his square glasses. They pierced into her for a few seconds, and just as quickly as she felt it, he disappeared behind the screen door.

"_What a weird man,"_ Rukia thought. She reached out to grab a cup of tea for herself. The longer Rukia stayed silent, she found herself plagued with apprehensions from the short conversation with Urahara Kisuke when he first appeared. _"Urahara certainly seemed to know me, but I didn't understand half of the things he was talking about. What did he mean that I was 'assigned' to Karakura? What was that gate to that place he talked about too? Who were those people he mentioned"_

Sado noticed the quizzical look forming on Rukia's face. Although she had the cup raised to her lips, she still had yet to drink the tea. He nudged Orhime. "Urahara-san talked too much," he said flatly.

Orihime nodded in agreement, her fingers warm from the cup she held. "Maybe if we act normal, then maybe Rukia will just ignore everything."

"Was I out of town before my accident?" Rukia asked, eyeing the two who were whispering to each other.

Sado gripped his cup so tight that a crack formed at the top of the ceramic rim. Orihime only giggled out of nervousness. Of course Rukia would still have her sharp wits about her.

"Why are you asking?"

Rukia shrugged. "Urahara mentioned that he was offended that I didn't visit him to tell him that I was back in town, so I figured maybe I had gone somewhere. He said a lot of things that I didn't follow."

"Urahara-san is so quirky, he loves to talk sometimes! I'm not too sure of what he was talking about either."

"He sounded like he knew exactly what he was saying to me," Rukia replied quietly. She didn't bother to look at Orihime. Something like disappointment settled in Rukia's mind; she knew that for some reason, her friends were slow to tell her the truth of what was going on. "Am I supposed to know those people Urahara mentioned?"

"Who?" Orihime asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

Rukia arched her eyebrow. "You're supposed to tell me. He mentioned some Bya-someone and there was another name. I know I heard it!" She focused on her tea. "You guys don't need to lie to me or anything."

Frowning, Orihime put her cup down and reached over to touch Rukia. She didn't know exactly how to tell Rukia about the world where she really came from. "Rukia, we're not trying to hide anything from you. We just don't exactly know the circumstances of your accident. Honestly, there are things that we're just as confused about as you are. We're trying to help, and in our own ways, we're all dealing with this."

Rukia looked away, suddenly feeling guilty at her outburst. She smiled at Orihime. "I'm sorry I said that. I guess I'm feeling a little on edge here, but thank you. I appreciate everything that you're doing, Orihime, Sado. Do you think that we could make it kind of short here? I think I would like to get home soon and rest tonight. I had a really long and confusing day."

Inside, Rukia wished that Ichigo would return to the room. She couldn't explain to herself why, but she knew she would feel more relaxed if he was near.

Sado nodded, looking towards the sliding door where Ichigo and Urahara had gone through. He didn't know what else to say to the girls he had been left with.

* * *

In the other room, Ichigo ran a hand through his hair as he explained the situation with Rukia. "Do you know how many times I almost died for this girl, and now she doesn't even remember me? It's not exactly the greatest feeling in the world, Urahara. I want to know what's going on."

"You certainly love to beat around the bush on issues, Kurosaki-kun. You should know that it's not uncommon for Shinigami to have their memories altered by their superiors," he replied, peeking up at the frowning boy from under his hat. He was at least glad to see that Ichigo's spirit came back fully in-tact from Soul Society. "Oh, and I apologize for running off at the mouth earlier. I suppose I could have been more sensitive to the situation if I had known what was going on."

Ichigo shook his head, feeling the anger boiling up under his skin. "So you're saying that Byakuya probably erased her memories of me just to spite me? I mean, I'm on good terms with a lot of other Shinigami back there, did they wipe out all of their memories too?"

"I highly doubt that, Kurosaki. Why would they want to wipe away memories of Soul Society's _savior_?" he chuckled. Ichigo glared at him, but Urahara wasn't bothered by it. "Yoruichi told me the gossip."

Urahara threw an arm around Ichigo's shoulders, shaking him slightly to lighten the boy's mood. "Come on Ichigo, she's back! How bad can it be?" No response. "Well let's say that no one tampered with her memory. Are you even sure if that is the real Kuchiki Rukia out there?" Still no response. "So there's a possibility that you brought a dangerous enemy inside my humble store, and you don't even know it? Did you even bother checking her reiatsu? What if she's the reanimated zombie version of Rukia, and the real one is somewhere dead?"

"What have you been drinking, crazy man?" Ichigo muttered, thrusting Urahara's arm from his shoulders. "I'm being serious here, I think something is going on. Rukia comes back into the living world out of no where and the local paper reports that she had been in some sort of car accident with her sister. Do you have anything serious and oh-so-wise to say about that?"

Urahara sighed. There was no lightening up the mood. "I may remember something like that in Soul Society, although I'm pretty sure that when the Kuchiki family adopted her, she was alone in Rukongai. Maybe I'm confusing it with Byakuya's wife, I'm not quite sure on that aspect of her personal life."

"Wait," Ichigo interrupted. "The Ice King had a wife? Did he force her to marry him or something?"

"No. They were quite in love and a very handsome couple at that."

"Maybe there is hope for me after all," Ichigo muttered to himself. He rubbed his neck, tired of the drama from the day. He wanted things to go back to normal, the minimal amount of normal as it would be for a high school student to have supernatural powers and fight Hollows as a Shinigami. "So you don't have anything else to say except that maybe the Rukia sitting outside is an enemy zombie?"

Urahara chuckled. He enjoyed the energy of youth. "She doesn't remember anything and you can't sense any reiatsu? Have you tried flat out telling her that she's a Shinigami? Wouldn't that ring a bell?"

Ichigo glared at the shop owner. He couldn't believe this was the same guy who had trained him for his Soul Society mission. "I think she would have run away from me screaming her zombie head off if I did that, Urahara. We were hoping you could analyze her or something, see if she has any reiatsu that we can't sense, just anything to help her remember stuff. If not, then we're going to head home."

"And to think I thought you were here seeking my expertice at communicating, more specifically infiltrating, Soul Society and find out if they sent her here. I see how your faith in me has waned."

Ichigo shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure if that would be the best thing."

"Worried that Rukia would be taken away again if they find out she's in the living world without their approval?"

Ichigo's face turned bright red. "No, that's not why!"

His embarassed rantings were interrupted by Urahara's chuckles. "I am just kidding. I'll ask Yoruichi if she'll ask around and can find something out. Is that okay for you?"

"Thanks Sandal-Hat, I would appreciate Yoruichi's help." Urahara opened his mouth in protest, but Ichigo continued to cut him off. "And I would appreciate you more of you could tell her to ask Renji, Hitsugaya, or Ukitake...basically anyone but Byakuya. That might be best."

Urahara laughed again, plastering on a wide and friendly smile as they made their way back to the study room where the trio were sipping tea quietly. To his dismay, however, it seemed very tense in the room. The shop owner took a seat next to Rukia. "So your friends say that you don't remember me, Rukia-chan. Can you tell me if you remember anything at all?"

"No, I'm sorry. I don't even remember the accident, let alone anything else from before then," Rukia replied. She sipped her tea, avoiding Urahara's shadowy gaze. "My friends say that I knew you first, but aren't you...kind of old? Were you a friend of my sister's?"

"Old?!" Urahara repeated. He laughed a little louder than usual. "Ah, you're one to talk...No, I did not know your sister, unfortunately. Rukia dear, would you mind looking at me?"

Rukia turned her head to face Urahara straight on, and her forehead was met with a strong poke with the bottom end of his cane. He prodded her three times, making Rukia cross-eyed for a few seconds, before putting the cane down.

"What are you doing?!" Rukia gasped, rubbing the attacked area. "That can't be sanitary."

"Just trying an experiment," he replied. Urahara stood up from the table and saluted the students still sitting. "Okay kids! I think that'll be it for me tonight, you know I am an old man and I need my beauty rest."

"You're leaving? I thought you were going to help me!" Rukia protested.

Urahara waved her off. "Maybe I did and you just don't know it. Calm down Kuchiki, enjoy yourself for once. And Kurosaki, a word please!"

Rukia could've sworn that Ichigo gave her a worried look. She brushed off the feeling, happy with the fact that she'd at least get to go home a lot sooner than she expected. Although her forehead still throbbed a little from where he poked her, Rukia was grateful that she didn't have to sit through a line of questioning from the store owner.

"What was that about?" Ichigo asked once he returned to the room that he and Urahara had been talking in just minutes before. "You could have seperated her soul from her body like that!"

"And that was my objective," Urahara replied coolly. He tapped his cane against his palm. "You know if you focused yourself more, you would be able to analyze Rukia's reiatsu in a matter of seconds. That, my friend, was the real Kuchiki Rukia, and not a zombie hair less."

"So that's a good thing then. Why didn't you just tell her who she was?"

"I thought that I would let my pimp cane do the talking," he replied. Urahara laughed very loud for a few seconds. "I have always wanted to say that."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. What a waste of time. He moved to go back into the room and drag Rukia out of the shop, but Urahara took hold of his shoulder and pulled him back as he stifled his chuckles. "Okay Kurosaki, all joking aside, that is the real Rukia. I tapped her three times with my pimp stick, just to test the extent of her reiatsu, and I got no reaction. It means that her reiatsu is sealed, and there is no getting it out."

"What do you mean sealed and no getting it out? She's a Shinigami, reiatsu has to be there."

"Just because she has it doesn't mean that you can get it out," Urahara replied. "Think about yourself and the people you know. There are basically three levels of spiritual power that humans can achieve, correct? There are people like you, who have reiatsu pouring out of them like a broken faucet, like yourself; there are some who have the capability of tapping reserves with a little help from exposure to reiatsu, like Inoue-chan and Sado-kun; and there are some who are just so thick-skulled that there is no hope for them at all. They're just standing Hollow food."

"Like my old man?" Ichigo muttered.

If Ichigo could see under the striped green hat, he would have seen Urahara arch his eyebrow at the young man's comment. But the store owner just kept his mouth shut. "You could say that...In the case of this third group, there are many reasons why people can't tap into reiatsu. Either they're too oblivious and have no sense of self, maybe they choose to absolutely shut off their mind to spiritual things, or maybe, as I sense in Rukia's case, the reiatsu has been sealed away."

"Sealed away?! What are you saying, that it's impossible for Rukia to remember who she is and return to Shinigami form?"

Urahara shook his head. He needed to research more to come up with possible answers to Rukia's amnesia, but honestly, he could only think of getting in touch with Yoruichi and tell her that he successfully pulled off a "pimp stick" reference. If he wasn't mistaken, she owed him some money. "Kurosaki, there are lots of things I need to think about, and I'll need to consult people much smarter and brilliant than your favorite Shinigami needs supplier. However, I'm going to need some time. Do you think you can just chill out for a few days, watch over Kuchiki-san, and make sure no Hollows attack or eat her? Although it's very dormant, I do sense a chuck on reiatsu buried deep within her soul."

Ichigo furrowed his brow. "And how sure are you?"

"As sure as three hits from my pimp stick can be." Urahara smiled from ear to ear, completely ignoring Ichigo's exhasperation but still prevented himself from laughing.

"Well then I think I can handle that," Ichigo replied, taking a quick look towards the room where everyone else sat. "When should I come back and find out what's going on?"

Urahara shrugged. "Give me a few days. Come back after you and Kuchiki take a vacation together." Ichigo glared at him. "All I am saying is that you just got back from fighting big bad Shinigami captains, discovered a conspiracy aimed at destroying two worlds as we know them, and started a new semester in school. I think you deserve a little relaxation time. Lay low with Rukia-chan, take her out, glare at whomever you want, and live like a kid in love should should."

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but Urahara cut him off. "Yoruichi told me _all_ of the gossip. So can I count on you to stay out of trouble for a bit?"

"Fine," he replied and walked back into the room. Ichigo motioned towards the store entrance. "Urahara says he needs a few days to do whatever he does, so I guess we can call it a night. I'm heading home."

Orihime and Sado followed their friend's lead, while Rukia nodded quietly. They stood together outside of the shop, surprised to see how much time had passed since they first entered Urahara's. Rukia shivered slightly as she tilted her head up to admire the twinkling stars in the velvet sky. She barely noticed when Sado walked away with only a wave, and her attention went back to her two remaining classmates when she heard Orihime invite her and Ichigo back to her house for dinner.

"Thanks for the invitation, but I think I'll head home now," Rukia said. "I'm really tired."

She ignored Ichigo's intense stare aimed at her. Rukia shivered again, this time from knowing that his piercing amber eyes followed her every movement. She forced herself to walk away as naturally as she could.

Orihime turned to Ichigo. "The invitation still stands, if you're interested." A blush surfaced on her pale skin at the prospect of being alone with Ichigo. She fiddled with her school blazer, when a crinkling noise caught her attention. Reaching into the front pocket, Orihime retrieved the newspaper article and frowned. "I forgot that I still had this."

Ichigo's eyes grew wide. He grabbed the article and briskly walked away in the direction that Rukia had disappeared from. "Not tonight, Inoue. I'll go deliver this to Rukia. I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay?" Ichigo looked back and waved over his shoulder.

The girl waved back, her lips slightly pouted in disappointment. She took out her cell phone. Tatsuki always came over whenever Orihime didn't feel like being alone on certain nights.

* * *

"Yo Rukia!"

The dark-haired girl stopped along the moonlit sidewalk on some street in Karakura town. Hearing her name called out to her by Ichigo surely sent electric waves down her body, and she froze to prepare herself for facing him. When she turned, she still wasn't ready to face his signature frown running towards her. "Ichigo," she breathed. "What's up?"

Ichigo finished his sprint in front of Rukia. Standing up straight, he realized how foolish he may look running after her and calling her name, but Ichigo pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He felt the urge to protect her swell within his heart. He needed to make sure he could keep an eye on her. "I just wanted to walk you home," he replied coolly. "In case something might prey on a Hobbit so small."

Rukia shook her head, unable to come up with a retort. Her eyes rested on the item hanging limp in Ichigo's hand. It was a piece of paper.

Ichigo noticed where her eyes focused on. He reached out and offered it to the girl. "Inoue said that she had been meaning to give this to you."

"Thanks," she replied quietly. Rukia's featured softened, and she felt fearful of the text that the clipping held within. She didn't want to think about what she might discover. Rukia smiled up at Ichigo. "Are you here to escort me to my mansion?"

Ichigo eyed her, a bittersweet memory surfacing in his mind. If only she knew. "Do you even know where you live?"

"The doctors gave me a map, an address, and sent me out into the unforgiving world. I'm actually quite glad you offered, you can help me find my way around." Rukia reached into her bag and produced the papers she mentioned.

To Ichigo's amazement, her apartment was a few streets down from his own house. He felt relieved that he could walk her home now and investigate the area himself, in case he needed to check up on Rukia in the future. At the moment, he didn't sense any abnormal Hollow activity. Ichgo nodded his head to motion her to follow him.

"So Ichigo," Rukia said as she eyed her escort walking next to her. "How long have we known each other?"

"Ah, three or four months, I suppose," he replied, looking up at the sky as he tried to keep his steps as small as possible so Rukia could keep up. The white of the full moon reminded him of her and all they had been through. He turned his head towards her again. "You have absolutely tormented me the whole time I've known you."

Rukia laughed. "Really? How terrible am I?"

"I'll admit that you're not so bad. You get into a bit of trouble at times, but it's nothing too serious," he replied. He didn't realize he was a decent liar. Ichigo stopped at the front gate of an apartment complex. Although it was made of several units, a single apartment looked just as large as the Kuchiki complex in Soul Society. "This is it. Which one do you live in?"

"237," she answered. Rukia took in a quick breath, a little hesitant to ask Ichigo for another favor. She didn't feel like being completely alone yet. "Do you think you could come in for a little bit? I just-"

"Yeah, let's go," Ichigo interrupted. He couldn't stand it when things got awkward, and he was glad he could check if her apartment was secure anyway.

Following the signs around the complex, the two found Rukia's apartment. There was a doormat that said "Wipe Yer Paws" at the doorway, complete with what looked like bunny paw prints making up the border. "Cute," Ichigo smirked.

Rukia ignored him and fiddled with her modest key ring. There were only two choices to try, and Rukia unlocked the door with the large silver key. She wondered what the smaller bronze one opened. Taking in a breath, she twisted the knob and pushed open the door. The faint smell of lavendar flowers wafted to their nose. The apartment was spotless, each piece of furniture in place and void of any dust, even though the apartment had been unoccupied for however long it had been since the accident. Ichigo closed the door behind them, also taking in the neatness and vast expanse of the apartment. The basic decor was black and white. As they walked through the front hallway, it split off into two areas: the kitchen and then the living room. The flat screen tv was framed by tall bookshelves with electronics and video game systems, but his eyes ignored it all except for the various picture frames with pictures of Rukia and someone who resembled her, obviously her sister. Although it didn't make sense, it was clear that Rukia must have existed in some form in order to take the pictures he was looking at.

"Oh no!" he heard Rukia gasp. It sounded like her voice was far away.

Ichigo tore through the apartment, finding a staircase behind him. He bounded up the steps, imagining where her voice came from, but he heard small ruffling from the farthest doorway from the staircase. Bursting into the room, he saw Rukia standing frozen with her hand covering her mouth. "What's wrong?" he asked breathlessly.

"This poor animal!" Rukia said while pointing.

Ichigo frowned and looked to where her finger aimed. Inside a wire cage, a tiny rabbit sat waiting, it's nose sniffing at the two people who had discovered it. The shavings inside the cage also covered a bit of the area surrounding it, but upon closer inspection, the food bowl was empty and the water dispenser looked dangerously devoid of liquid. Ichigo opened the cage and took the animal out. He could have held the rabbit in only one of his hands, but he carried it over to Rukia using both. It looked happy to be out of its cage, shaking its mostly white fur that had patches of black throughout its coat. He wasn't much of an animal person, but even Ichigo thought the dwarf bunny was cute with one black and one white ear, and a perfectly round black spot around one eye.

Rukia looked absolutely terrified to even touch it. "What is it?"

"Apparently it's your pet," Ichigo replied. He stroked its back. "It seems nice enough, why don't you pet it?"

"I don't think I can."

"Okay...well look around for food and refill the water bottle then. It's probably starving."

Nodding, Rukia went through nearby drawers and found dry rabbit food. She poured some nibblets into the bowl before finding the bathroom to refill the bottle with water from the sink. Ichigo looked around the room, realizing it was someone's bedroom, complete with a full-sized bed, a desk, and another tall cabinet with a television in the middle. On the wall in front of him, Ichigo noticed a memo board with paper trinkets tucked away under the criss-cross ribbons. In the very middle, there was a picture of Rukia, Orihime, Ishida, Sado, and himself outside of their school. He kept his worries to himself, and was relatively proud he kept his cool when he absolutely knew that he never posed for that picture. Instead, he focused on the fact that they were apparently in Rukia's room.

"Everything's done," Rukia announced, pulling Ichigo out of his thoughts. She watched him return the rabbit to its cage, leaving the door open, and the animal enthusiastically ate its food. "Thank you for staying with me, Ichigo. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."

"Hopefully not be too afraid of a rabbit and feed it instead of letting it die."

Rukia laughed. She reached out a timid hand into the cage and touched the soft fur. Nothing devastating happened, fortunately. "It's a little daunting knowing that another living being is depending on me to take care of it when I'm struggling to take care of myself," she sighed.

"It seems impossible, but you're not alone." Rukia gazed at Ichigo, his aura or whatever warmth he seemed to radiate reached her from across the room. He was staring at her again, the intensity almost smothering if she didn't know that he really was as passionate as he sounded. Ichigo grinned at her. "Are you going to be okay by yourself tonight? I need to get home."

"Oh yeah, you can leave now, creep," she said. Rukia followed him down the stairs and to the doorway.

"Lock the door behind me."

"I think I'll be okay now," Rukia insisted. Ichigo nodded, but still seemed slightly hesitant to leave, so Rukia reached out and wrapped her arms around his torso, since she couldn't reach his neck. She gave him a quick squeeze. "Thanks a lot, Berry."

With a small wave, Ichigo strolled away. For Rukia, it was time to explore.

* * *

Towelling herself off after a leisurely shower, Rukia found a fluffy white robe and wrapped herself in it. She smiled at her furry companion who was hopping happily around the floor of her room. Before her shower, she had changed the flooring in the cage and walked around the apartment with the bunny in her hands. There were many pictures littered throughout the apartment, some with people she didn't recognize, but smiled widely at her. There was another bedroom on the second floor of the apartment, and although she only poked her head within it for a second, she knew it belonged to her sister. However, Rukia didn't feel comfortable staying too long in the foreign space, and focused on trying to familiarize herself in her own room instead.

"I can get used to this place," Rukia said aloud. She relaxed further into her bed, enjoying its softness and clear upgrade from the starchy hospital bed. However guilt tugged at her conscience. She looked at the night stand to her left, remembering that she had been avoiding reading the newspaper clipping since Ichigo gave it to her. Now, alone with her thoughts and done exploring her apartment, Rukia took the abused paper in her hands.

**Tragic Crash Kills Three; Leaves One Survivor.** _**Younger sister of Japanese Diplomat lays in a coma, doctors say in very critical condition.**_

**Karakura Town. At approximately half past the 18th hour, the corner of 14th and 47th Streets were closed, holding up traffic at the very busy intersection. Tragedy struck when Japanese Diplomat Kuchiki Hisana lost control of her car, swerving into oncoming traffic, striking another car carrying two passengers. Naganos, Megumi and Katsumi, were on their way home from an anniversary dinner, says family members. The couple had no children, and died at the scene. Diplomat Kuchiki was conscious when retrieved from the car wreck, but died on route to the hospital. Her younger sister, Kuchiki Rukia, suffered severe cranial damage and currently under intensive care. Although in critical condition, chances of recovery are high, although she may suffer from amnesia, says doctors.**

**Kuchiki Hisana is well remembered for her charity work with under developed areas in Japan, as well as other foreign countries. She travelled six months out of the year to visit third world countries and raise awareness of the poverish living conditions. Funeral arrangements for Kuchiki are so far undisclosed by government officials, but services for the Naganos will be held Friday at 1:45 pm, the time of the couple's marriage...**

**ah, another chapter update. so i hope everyone got to read chapter 5 because i know a few days ago, the email alerts went on hiatus for some reason...go back and read it if you're confused, which might be the case as chapter 5 has a third of the hits the other chapters got. wow. i have written through my writer's block, and the story is coming along. thanks as always go out to everyone who reviewed, added the story to alerts, and PM me. **

**if you haven't seen it, go out and see Wall-E...it was sooo cute! :shameless plug:**

* * *


	7. Epic Battles, for Eclairs

**AN: ZOMG! so here it is, after much toiling, writing, erasing, re-writing, forgetting to save, and re-rewriting! this is a DOOZY of a chapter, officially longer than the opening chapter, which was meant to be a one-shot on its own...so i hope everyone enjoys this labor of love. i was trying to edit it or break it into smaller chapters, but i didn't know where a good place to stop was, so i just kept it a HUGE chapter, partly as my apologies for making my readers wait so long. there is lots of fluff, camaraderie, fighting, and SWEETS, so enjoy!**

* * *

raindrops fall from everywhere  
i reach out for you  
but you're not there  
so i stood, waiting, in the dark  
i don't want to know what it's like without you  
so stay with me

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**Epic Battles, for Eclairs**

Kuchiki Rukia rubbed her eyes. She repeated this action so many times this morning that her eyes stung from the dryness, and the puffiness made it sore to touch. Rukia could barely keep her eye lids from closing, let alone focus on the math lesson on the chalk board. She yawned again, and the tear drop it produced fell onto her notebook. Propping herself on her desk, Rukia tried not to dive into her thoughts too deeply again. She had spent the majority of last night crying over the newspaper article and losing the battle to a sleepless night. Now, Rukia fought to keep her forehead from slamming down onto her papers.

Ichigo eyed his neighbor quietly. Besides a "good morning", Rukia hadn't said much to him during class, or even acknowledged him. Although he was relieved that she made her way to school on her own this morning, Ichigo still felt a high level of concern rise within him when he saw her puffy eyes with the dark circles underneath them. Ichigo ripped a piece of looseleaf paper in half, scribbled on it, and crumpled it before tossing it on Rukia's desk. The flying object startled the girl.

Eyeing the paper, then eyeing the direction from where it came, Rukia decided it wasn't hostile and flattened the paper ball. _"Cheer up Short Stack. Eat with me?" _it read. A small smile spread on her face, the first of the day. Rukia wrote back and tossed Ichigo the paper. _"I'm more for passing out and sleeping through lunch. Especially lunch with you."_

She heard him snort. _"Whatever, you love eating,"_ he wrote back.

The school bell for lunch rang and commotion ensued with the class hurrying to the most enjoyable part of the school day. Rukia also stood on her feet, leaning close to Ichigo. "Why do you insist on knowing me better than I know myself?" she asked in his ear, her voice tickling the hairs on the back of his neck.

Ichigo stood up from his own desk, standing to his full height, towering over the much shorter girl. He stared her directly in the eyes. "Because you would be totally lost without me, Stumps."

Suddenly feeling revived and a blush creeping onto her cheeks, Rukia found relief when an enthusiastic Keigo hurried up to their desks. "Let's go eat lunch guys! We have to plan for the wonderful weekend where my innocence shall be lost on a European bombshell!"

"What is he talking about?" Rukia asked Ichigo, as they followed their gushing classmate out the door. While she watched her group of friends, Orihime, Keigo, Mizuiro, Tatsuki, Sado, Chizuru, and even the elusive Ishida, chatter happily in front of her, she felt at ease when she fell in step with Ichigo at the rear of the pack. Somehow she acted the most comfortable around him.

Ichigo let out a sigh. Socializing was such a bother to him, and while he never expressed interest in whatever his peers did in their free time, Ichigo still felt grateful they always insisted that he tagged along on their plans. "I forgot to tell you that Mizuiro has something like a dozen or so European model girlfriends visiting this weekend, and so they're going to plan what we're doing to entertain them while they're here. For some reason Keigo thinks that intercourse is at the top of the list, but even if there is absolutely nothing else to do in all of Japan and they resort to having sex with him, they will have only passed about five minutes of their vacation."

Rukia did not respond to his joke. Ichigo looked down at his side, noticing that her knuckles were turning white while she held her bag lunch. Apparently she had reverted back to her silent side, and since Ichigo disapproved, he elbowed her side. "This weekend is the Autumn Festival, you love those things."

"I do, do I?" she mumbled quietly. Rukia berated herself for speaking in circles, but her thoughts were too heavy. She let a small smile crease her lips. "That's good to know."

Ichigo frowned, not knowing how to break his friend out of her slump. He couldn't stand not knowing what was bothering her, and he absolutely hated the fact that he couldn't pry it out of her. All he could do was continue talking. "Don't be upset, we're just planning the stuff we're doing tonight and on Sunday, since the festival is all day Saturday. It'll be like old times, just hanging out with everyone all together again. And this time, I'll make sure everyone will be sensitive to your handicap?"

"My memory," she muttered.

"Your height, Midget."

Rukia glared at Ichigo, tilting her head up because he was so damn tall. She felt like it only emphasized his point. Ichigo laughed at her, and Rukia stomped off to join the rest of the group who had already settled under their usual location under the large oak tree. She had to use quick strides to move away from her companion, and Ichigo secretly eyed the extra sway the pace added to her hips. Remembering that they were about to join their classmates, Ichigo let his signature frown cover up the smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

* * *

"What if Inoue-san cooked her delicacies at her apartment tonight?" Ishida added to the conversation. After an initial ten minutes of settling down and starting on their lunches, the group got into full swing of constructing their weekend plans. "My apartment is much too small for hosting, but I'm sure her abode is lovely."

Orihime smiled. She pulled out a banana leaf that was molded into a triangular pouch. While her classmates expected her to unwrap the outer wrapping of a rice paste or sweet custard dessert, everyone silently eyed the girl as she took out a pair of scissors and cut off a corner. She tilted her head back, began to drink the mysterious contents, and when she was done after a few seconds of long droughts, Orihime removed the banana leaf pouch to reveal a little dribble of a bright green liquid at the corner of her mouth. She dabbed at it with a napkin before speaking. "I'm so flattered Ishida-kun, but I don't think I have enough time to prep for a dinner for twenty tonight. Perhaps we could do that Sunday night?"

No one said a word, but went back to eating their lunch.

"Well what about going out to dinner tonight? Maybe a sushi restaurant?" Chizuru suggested. She snuggled next to Orihime and snaked an arm around her shoulders. "You know, raw oysters are aphrodisiacs."

Tatsuki finished her lunch, crumpled up her brown bag, and threw it at Chizuru's face, letting the pink-haired girl know that she was too close to her best friend. "That actually sounds like a good idea for tonight. Maybe we can go to the arcade and race track for fun after too."

"I don't like the race track," Sado said.

Tatsuki put her hands on her hips. She thought her suggestion was a great plan. "Why not?"

"Don't fit."

Now the eyes shifted to Sado. His classmates instantly understood why he would be against getting into go-karts, since his build was certainly much larger than the rest of them. Without much emotion, however, Sado shrugged. "I'll go though."

Keigo clapped his hands together in sheer happiness. "Excellent, then tonight's plans are settled!" He quickly spun on Mizuiro, gripping his shoulders tightly. "Now I need you to tell me which of these flavors are the girls' favorite, and then tell me which one you think goes best with me. I have chocolate, vanilla, strawberry..."

Ichigo groaned as he heard his friend rattle off the list of flavors, for what, he did not want to know. He looked to his right, quietly eyeing Rukia who was not participating in the conversation. Her demeanor started to piss him off, since with her silence, he had no idea what her problem was. Rukia already ate half of her sandwich, and now nibbled at the other half absentmindedly, the tiny actions amusing Ichigo inwardly. She looked like that bunny they found in her room. Suddenly Rukia put the sandwich half down on its wrapper, and she picked up a carton of apple juice. Although her fingers went through the actions of seperating the straw from the box, Rukia did not pierce the top, but stared at a certain spot in the grass. Ichigo could clearly see something was really bothering her, and in turn, was really bothering him.

"Did your brain stop working?" he asked.

Rukia blinked out of her fixation. She gave him an angry look for his earlier comment. Ichigo only grinned at her and reached over to grab the straw. "Let me help you, Princess o' Shortness."

The smaller girl shook her head and stretched her arm out as far as she could reach in an attempt to keep Ichigo at bay. She knew she couldn't be successful for very long, so she quickly retracted her arm and pressed the straw to her chest. "I can open my own juice box," she said pointedly.

"Not when you don't have it," he snorted, and Rukia glared at him for yet another sarcastic comment. Ichigo wiggled the juice box at her. While she busied herself with protecting the straw, Rukia did not notice him grab the container from right in front of her.

"Give it back to me."

Ichigo shook his head no. "You have to tell me what's bothering you. I can't stand this moodiness!" She thrust out an arm towards her drink, but Ichigo easily held it out of reach, although a little half-interested in the game. "Besides, I'm helping you open it."

"I can open my own damn juice box," she muttered, easily giving up on her retrieval mission just as fast as she had started to resist him.

Ichigo felt a change in her attitude. Looking at her eyes, which were once again fixated in front of her towards the ground, Ichigo noticed they grew dark and uninterested in the chatter growing around them. Whatever plagued her mind now managed to engulf Ichigo as well, and he suddenly didn't want to go back to school but rather take her far away to where they could be alone and get Rukia to open up to him. He didn't know how long he could take this sad, emotional Rukia, let along a Rukia who didn't know who she really was or what she had done for Ichigo. He didn't want to think about the possibility of a Hollow attack on Rukia and not being there to protect her.

Although she had spaced out once again at lunch, Rukia was familiar with the weight of Ichigo's stare upon her. She tried to stop the traitorous blush rushing to her cheeks, happy and flattered that Ichigo had such an interest in her, and Rukia dared to turn her head to dive into the amber pools that awaited her acknowledgement.

"Do I have a booger in my nose or something?" she whispered, her eyes narrowing at Ichigo, trying to mask her interest in his interest in her.

Ichigo shook his head no and leaned forward. He heard Rukia suck in a sharp breath, which made him smirk, knowing the effect he still had over her. Ichigo kept their faces close, his cheek almost brushing hers before he whispered in her ear. "I'd think your face is the real problem."

Her eyes widened, and Rukia pushed Ichigo back, adding a few more slaps to his arms and chest. Ichigo rocked backwards, his body shaking with laughter. They attracted quick stares from their friends, but they never really understood the duo, and let them continue on while they planned activities for Sunday.

"Give me my straw!" Rukia snapped, reaching forward to take the plastic item which started the argument, and Ichigo was too busy laughing to keep it from her. She eyed Ichigo's drink, still unopened, and Rukia grabbed his straw as well.

"Hey!" he protested.

Rukia pushed the straw through its wrapping and jammed it through the top of his juice box. She fixed her own juice box, sipping the cool liquid while smiling back at Ichigo, who enjoyed watching her pink lips encompass the plastic stick. He almost admitted to himself that he was jealous of that straw.

"I told you that I can take care of myself," Rukia said pointedly. "And that includes using a straw...Berry!"

"Whatever you say Midget," Ichigo replied. His face turned serious. "I just wanted to make you laugh and get you to tell me what's been bothering you. I want to know."

A sigh passed through Rukia's lips. Although she had forgotten everything else, she would never forget the fact that still remained only on a piece of paper with ink imprinted on it. Rukia didn't know whether she could withstand another sleepless night. "The newspaper article," she said quietly, avoiding Ichigo's stare. "I feel so ashamed of myself. Three people died while I am a survivor...how do you cope with that?"

Ichigo sat quietly, not knowing if it would be appropriate to try to comfort her. The lunch bell rang, signaling the second half of school would continue no matter how much the students didn't want it to, yet they knew they were so close to starting the weekend. His classmates began to return to the building, but Rukia had not yet moved from the ground. Seeing Ichigo stand, she raised her head, her violet eyes full of hesitation and worry about his response.

Ichigo shoved his hands into his pockets. "It's time to go back to school Stumps. Even if you don't grow, it's good that your brain can."

She smiled back at him. Leave it to Ichigo to avoid awkwardness at all costs. "Will you walk me home today?" she asked.

"Are you going to start paying me when I babysit you?"

"Of course not Berry, I am not a child," she replied. Rukia shook her head and started to walk away from him. She looked at him over her shoulder when he did not fall into step with her. "I am a woman."

Ichigo smiled when she disappeared inside the building. He mentally laughed when he remembered that Rukia had called Urahara old the previous night, and hurried after the self-proclaimed woman before he got a detention for tardiness.

* * *

Right before the end of the school day, their teacher passed back a few papers. Ichigo did fairly well on his tests and homework, eyeing the red-marks before shoving them in his briefcase and sneaking a glance at his neighbor's papers. Somehow Rukia still managed higher grades and a smile to match Ichigo's scowl. Suddenly, it disappeared behind Keigo's body, who had jumped out of no where to block Ichigo's sight.

"Ichigo! Are you down for tonight's plans?" he asked loudly, making it known to the other students that his presence was cool enough to hang out with the elusive Kurosaki Ichigo.

Luckily, a small hand snaked around Keigo's body and pulled Ichigo close. He looked down at Rukia, who looked determinded to drag him out of the classroom. "Let's go Berry. I want to go home."

Keigo's mouth dropped to the ground, and he pointed angrily at Ichigo. "Kurosaki! How is it that Kuchiki-san wants to drag you out of here and have her way with you in her home?! How are you so lucky?!" he spat with large drops of saliva flying everywhere.

"She's NOT going to have her way with me!" Ichigo bellowed at the stuttering brunette. Several other students gave him a questioning look. "Why does everyone around here have such dirty minds? I'm just walking her home!"

"Maybe if you didn't cause such a scene, then they wouldn't think anything of it," Rukia replied, still holding onto his arm and dragging him through the hallway.

Ichigo immediately calmed down and eased into a pace of his own. Rukia's hand left its perch, but she was unaware of the frown upon her escort's face, which dared any more students to ask what the couple were doing to kick off the weekend. Once they reached the freedom of the outside street, he watched Rukia tilt her head up towards the sunlight and take in a long breath.

"So what now?" Rukia asked, her eyes still closed in the sun.

"I thought I'm walking you home."

"Yes, but what are we doing this weekend?"

Ichigo groaned. He never really planned anything for the weekend. Usually his friends would call him or Keigo would forcably drag him from his room, but as far as Ichigo was concerned, he could have just as fun of a time on his couch or listening to music. "You know that Keigo was just about to tell us what was going on before you so gently guided me out of the classroom."

"Don't be a baby Ichigo," Rukia replied. Her hands found their perch on her slender hips. "I was talking about you and me, what are we doing this weekend? Since that old guy wasn't any help, and I am most comfortable around you, I am designating you as the person in charge of making me regain my memories."

"Rukia, if it was as easy as hitting you over the head and those things returning to you in an instant, then I am your guy," he replied, holding his hands up. "But I don't think it's that simple. Do you want me to go back in and ask Keigo what's going on? And didn't the doctors say that you needed to rest?"

Rukia sighed. She was being serious, and Ichigo wasn't understanding. What she really needed was distractions from the nagging feeling that told her she owed those people a visit and payed respects, not wasting her time with teenage fancies. She didn't even feel that close to the other students. For some reason, Rukia knew that Ichigo gave her strength, and he could be the only one able to help her. Rukia figured that if she at least acknowledged the accident, then it would open the doors for her memories to return, and then maybe, she could get back to normal. Whatever that meant.

Ichigo saw the conflict in her eyes. He brushed his fingers against Rukia's cheek, quickly gaining her attention. He remembered the moment she appeared in his class the other day. Ichigo had promised himself things would be different the next time he saw her, and this situation did not change the conditions of that promise. Ichigo smiled at her. "Why don't I walk you home first?" he said softly. Rukia's expression melted, and the two made their way to her apartment.

* * *

When they arrived at their destination, Ichigo was pleased to see that at least Rukia had familiarized herself with the apartment. She wasted no time navigating through the complex, opening the door, and placing her things in the living room as if it was always her post-school ritual.

"Do you want anything to drink?" she called from the kitchen.

"Just a glass of water please," Ichigo replied. His eyes travelled around the living room, which he remembered clearly for its neatness. This time, however, Ichigo noticed that things were moved, cabinets a bit opened, probably in a fury of Rukia exploring each spot in the apartment. "_No wonder she looked tired when she got to school," _he thought to himself.

Rukia returned with a tall glass of water, handed it to Ichigo, and left without a word. He heard her feet bound up the stairs. In another minute, Rukia returned, but not alone. Huddled in her hands was the dwarf rabbit, and it wrinkled its nose when it saw Ichigo again.

"Hey," Ichigo greeted, and Rukia let him hold the rabbit. It sniffed Ichigo's cheek affectionately. "What did you end up naming the rabbit? This guy needs a name."

"Bunny."

"Okay, my apologies...what did you name the bunny?"

"...Bunny."

Ichigo stared at Rukia, who shrugged with an unapologetic expression. He laughed and continued stroking the bunny's soft fur. "Creativity never was your forte. I'm surprised that you didn't name him..." Ichigo's voice suddenly trailed off.

"Name him what?" she asked curiously.

Ichigo shook his head furiously. There was no way that he would utter "Chappy" to Rukia, in case she would recover that particularily annoying memory. He played innocent, and he could've swore that Rukia saw through his act. "I don't know, some horribly cutesy name that girls usually use for their pets." He needed to change the subject. "Did you want to talk or anything? You seemed quiet on the walk home."

Rukia entertained herself with the cute image of Ichigo holding her bunny. She looked away when she allowed herself to ask him a question. "Ichigo, do you think I am a terrible person? Was I a terrible person or very reckless before I lost my memory?"

Instead of feeling shock, Ichigo smiled at the smaller girl. He let the bunny playfully nip at his finger. "I don't want you to ask this question again, especially now that I am going to answer it." Ichigo lowered his gaze so he could stare directly into the intoxicating lavendar pools. "Rukia, you are a great and noble person. I really mean that. You may not be very creative, and you love to beat me up all the time, but you were-no, you are- a great and kind person. I owe you more than I can ever repay you for. I won't say it to you again."

"Too sentimental?"

"I don't like it when you're ignorant."

Rukia laughed a little. She reached out a hand to pet her bunny. "I want to do something for that couple," she said quietly. "I still feel horribly guilty, and I missed the funeral that went on during school today. What can I do?"

As much as it pained him to think about it, Ichigo thought about his own experience with loss. He pushed down his pride and put the bunny down on the carpet. It hopped away quickly, ready to explore the apartment.

"What are you doing?" Rukia asked, worried about her pet.

Ichigo grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. "Bunny will be all right. Let's go, I want to take you somewhere."

He led her through the hall, and Rukia managed to stop him long enough to grab her house keys before he dragged her out of the door. Rukia locked the apartment and turned to her partner. "If Bunny poops anywhere, you're cleaning it up."

Ichigo smirked at her, and all of the anger he stirred up in Rukia disappeared. "I promise I'll clean later. This is important."

As they walked, Ichigo seemed intent on heading towards their destination. They moved side by side, with Rukia stealing quick glances up at her companion's serious gaze, and she indulged herself with Ichigo's strong profile. She wondered if he realized that he wasn't that bad looking. Rukia amused herself with her thoughts as they made their way up a very steep and tall hill, but she stopped imagining what Ichigo looked like naked when she realized that their destination was the Karakura cemetary. Ichigo made his way to the front entrance, where an elderly guard sat at his post in a small wooden hut.

"Excuse me sir," Ichigo said in a formal tone, very surprising to Rukia. The guard looked a bit apprehensive when he faced Ichigo, but when he eyed Rukia, his expression softened. "Would you point us in the direction of the plot of the Naganos? They were buried here earlier today."

"Take the south path all the way down, then make a right at the intersection," the guard replied.

Ichigo nodded and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. He placed some money on the counter and nodded towards the back of the hut. "Three sets of incense and flowers please."

The guard made the exchange, and Ichigo turned to Rukia, beckoning her to follow once again. She gave the guard a small smile and hurried back to Ichigo's side. Being inside a cemetary made her nerves stand on end. Ichigo sensed a bit of shakiness in Rukia's reiatsu, if that's what he could call it. Looking at her, he could see her breathing became ragged and her eyes darted everywhere except the road ahead. Ichigo wrapped his arm around her, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. Jumping a bit, Rukia allowed herself to relax when she looked up at Ichigo, who gave her a reassuring look. He was by her side.

The two walked according to the guard's directions, and Ichigo saw the freshly filled burial plot with the name "Nagano" engraved on a large headstone. He felt Rukia stiffen under his arm. "It's okay Rukia, it's just a headstone," Ichigo said firmly. "It won't hurt you. I took you here so you could show your respects."

The girl nodded and she took a step towards the elaborate head stone. Rukia bit her lip, unsure of the words which she should offer, and after wringing her hands for a few silent minutes, she took in a deep breath. "I don't really know what to say. But my friend took me here, and so I should not let his effort go to waste." Rukia reached out to run her hand along the etching in the stone. When she did, somehow the tears hit her like an icy wind chilling her entire body. She felt the regret and sorrow bloom from the depths of her soul. "I don't know who you are, I don't even know who I am. I lost my sister in the accident, but my greatest regret besides involving two innocent people, is that I don't know how to mourn her properly either. I can't say whether or not if the person I was before was a good enough person worth living, maybe I lost my memories for a reason, but I have come here to say that I won't let this new chance at life go wasted. I don't really know what I'm doing...but I'll try..."

Rukia stopped her ramblings to wipe her eyes and turn around to look at Ichigo for some strength. She saw him sitting on the ground, busy unwrapping the bundle he held in his hands; Ichigo carefully seperated the flower stems from the slim sticks of incense. He took out two flowers, some incense, and reached into his pocket to produce a silver lighter. Although he didn't smoke, Ichigo carried it with him as something to play with because he thought it made him look cool.

"Here," he said, handing Rukia the flowers. "Put it on the grave."

Taking the delicate flowers, Rukia placed one on the top of the headstone and the other along its base. She watched Ichigo light the end of the incense before firmly pressing the other end into the ground. The sweet smell wafted through the air. Rukia and Ichigo pressed their hands together and silently said a prayer for the fallen couple. Once again Rukia fell into the observer's role as she watched Ichigo walk a little bit away and return with a ladle full of water. He poured it over the grey stone, Rukia silent with awe and unfamiliarity of funeral customs.

"It seems like you know what you're doing, Ichigo," she whispered when he stopped his movements.

Ichigo met her gaze with a bit of a frown. Without a response, he picked up the last of the incense sticks and flower which he did not use on the Naganos. He began to walk away, only turning around when he realized Rukia was not following him. She took the hint. The couple walked again, not exchanging words but once again easing into the natural comfort of their companionship. While Rukia rejected the act of analyzing Ichigo's actions the past few days for any hidden feelings or emotions, she knew in her heart that there was something special about being with him, by his side. It felt more than natural for them to walk side by side, and with each passing moment, Rukia could feel the strength passing through her as if Ichigo was the puppeteer moving her body to his will. For now, Rukia didn't mind being under his spell.

The two stopped again at a tall head stone, this one smaller than the Nagano memorial, but much more ornate in the area around it. Here, the grave sat among a row of others in a developed area of the cemetary devoid of grass. This particular grave had a stone area where had to step onto the shrine to get closer to the head stone, as well as decorated with smaller areas each for flowers and incense. Rukia watched her friend move smoothly onto the grave and place his offerings in the areas where they were meant to go. He crouched down low, his eyes fixated on the grave before him, his hand covering his mouth in an act of deep contemplation.

Looking beyond him, Rukia could see the name on the head stone: Kurosaki.

"This is my mother," Ichigo said quietly. He reached out to run his fingers lovingly over the etched name. "Masaki. I don't know what I would give to see her smile again."

"Ichigo," Rukia whispered, not knowing what kind of reaction would be appropriate and not offend him. She put her small hand on Ichigo's broad shoulder, and once their bodies touched, he spun around, grabbing her hand in his own. He stared at her with the most intense gaze, his eyes on fire with a dark red tint taking over the golden pools. She thought that she would melt under his stare.

"Don't feel sorry for me, Rukia," Ichgo breathed, his voice not angry but reather pleading. He didn't seem like the Ichigo she had gotten to know, but someone else possessed with a passion that began to engulf Rukia's body. She could feel power surging through her body, feeling him surge through to her very soul. The images that stirred in her mind did not scare her or bring pain like the ones before. Rukia imagined Ichigo fighting in the dark robes she imagined before, weidling a sword as long as his own body. He had bandages on his face and around parts of his body, and although he was hurt, Ichigo looked radiantly heroic. He was winning his battle. She had seen his earnest eyes blaze at her before, this cocky smile flashing in her face, and her heart swelled with pride.

"You aren't allowed to feel sorry for me, not when you are the one who gave me the power to protect," Ichigo murmured. His eyes enjoyed how she looked completely mesmorized by him. Somehow, something inside him could sense when Rukia was at her most vulnerable, when she put up no walls or fought him with witty remarks, and although these moments were rare, Ichigo instinctively knew how to feed off of her inhibitions. Ichigo pulled her hand up to cup his cheek, and she let out an audible sigh.

Rukia's eyes widened. When he felt the heat of his cheek upon her hand, something within her broke. She saw it; rather the two of them in a passionate kiss under a bright and cloudless sky. Rukia could feel the weight of his lips on hers, smothering her breath, and wet with each wrestle of their tongues. Surely a blush surfaced on her cheeks now, and her body reacted to the images by moving her tongue to sweep over her pink lips.

"Rukia," she heard him call her name. Although she could not conjure this image, she suddenly wanted Ichigo repeating her name in more intimate surroundings.

Ichigo let his other hand rest on Rukia's hip, ready to pull her close and force the memories of their past to surface by his own will. Their breaths raced, and Rukia closed her eyes, ready for the impact she wished to bring to reality.

The rumbling of the ground beneath them caused Rukia to fall over into Ichigo's arms. A sound sliced through the air, sending a chill down Rukia's back. Earthquakes apparently frequented Japan.

Ichigo felt a buzzing on his waist, and then heard the familiar call of his Shinigami badge. "Hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow!"

"Is something wrong?" Rukia asked, steadying herself against Ichigo's taller frame.

_"She didn't see or hear it,"_ he thought to himself. Ichigo looked around, but did not immediately see the threat nearby. He caught sight of the prayer house that he hid is family in during his first fight with the Grand Fisher. Grabbing Rukia's hand, Ichigo pulled her towards the shleter.

"Where are we going?" Rukia yelled, her voice drowned out by the rumbling in the ground. She could tell something was wrong by the look in Ichigo's face.

Ichigo ripped open the screen door and thrust Rukia inside. "Stay here," he commanded and turned to hurry towards the Hollow. A hand grabbed at him to stop his departure.

"Don't leave me here," Rukia said. Worry fueled her expression.

"Do you trust me?" he asked shortly. Rukia didn't respond right away, but he didn't have time to waste, in case the Hollow could sense his reiatsu. "Rukia, I need to make sure you're safe."

"Then don't leave me alone! Please."

Ichigo shook his head. There would be no negotiating in regards to their safety. He put his chin on the top of her hair, squeezed her shoulders, and whispered in her hair. "Stay here, and don't leave until it's silent. I promise I'll be right back."

Rukia watched silently as Ichigo ran away, his hand at his belt buckle. She may have been in shock and traumatized by the first earthquake she experienced, but Rukia could have sworn that the metal skull at his waist rang loudly with some incoherent, screaming alarm.

* * *

Ichigo ran behind a thick cluster of bushes and pushed his badge against his chest. He instantly felt lighter in his spirit form, and his senses could pick up the exact location of the Hollow, which wasn't very far off. He leapt into the air, then used shunpo to an area at the edge of the cemetary where a skinny but tall Hallow was destroying several grave stones in his wake.

"Yo Stompy, that is somebody's memorial that you're destroying," he called out. "And I can't let you do that."

The Hollow turned to face the Shinigami. Ichigo's eyes widened, but forced himself to keep his stern look on his face. He was shocked to see his opponent lacked a full Hollow mask, and had a clear and distinguishable face underneath the small piece that still remained. Ichigo pointed Zangetsu at the Hollow.

"Shinigami," it croaked. It's voice was clearer than the Hollow that spoke to him the first time. "Was it your soul that smelled so delicious?"

Ichigo frowned. He needed to make quick work of the Hollow while Rukia stayed in hiding. "The only thing you'll be eating is zanpakuto."

A ferocious roar echoed from the Hollow's mouth. It lunged at Ichigo through the air, and Ichigo steadied his zanpakuto infront of him, but then the Hollow disappeared to attack him from the side. It caught Ichigo off guard, and they slammed to the ground, creating a shallow crater among some grave stones. The Hollow shoved his face inches from Ichigo's, keeping Zangetsu wedged between them. Ichigo could see the grey scales covering its body up to its neck, but although its face had smooth skin, the Hollow retained its snake-like features. Its tongue slithered out of its mouth and brushed against Ichigo's cheek. "A little fiesty, but still a tasty soul," it hissed.

Ichigo groaned and pushed the Hollow off of him. It did not resist as much as Ichigo expected, and it floated in the air for a moment, its attention clearly off towards the distance. It looked at Ichigo before it smiled. "Smells like something else is even tastier than you." Without another word, it dashed off.

"Rukia," Ichigo mumbled before cursing and following the Hollow through the air. Somehow, his shunpo could barely keep up with the Hollow. He gripped Zangetsu, focusing his energy to make up for the distance between them. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

The attack hit the Hollow squarely in the back, causing it to trip through the air and fly into the very hut that Rukia hid in. He heard a shrill scream.

Rukia fell to the ground in a ball, shielding her head from the falling debris broken off in the ceiling. She looked up to see a large hole above her, although the earthquake had stopped minutes before. Her first instincts told her to run away, but Ichigo's words kept her huddled on the ground inside the room. Then she heard it call her attention.

"You look delicious, little girl," hiss a voice.

Terror siezed Rukia's heart. She looked up again to see a lizard or snake-like creature eyeing her like trapped prey. Her limbs scooted her backwards out of adrenaline pumping through her veins, but Rukia couldn't control her body. The only thing she could do was scream when the lizard dove through the air at her throat.

Rukia closed her eyes for the impact. A few seconds passed, and the attack never came, and she peeked through her eyelids to see that there was another hole broken in the side wall of the hut. She leaned forward to try to look at what had happened, but a voice called out to her. "Rukia! If you can hear me, run away from here!"

The command was barely audible above the noise of things breaking and stone crumbling. Not caring where she was heading to, Rukia got to her feet and ran away from the noise. She turned her head over her shoulder to look at what was going on, and to her surprise, Rukia saw the monster float up into the air and someone flying after it. The second figure looked smaller than the monster, seemingly the size of a normal person, but they were too far for Rukia to see it clearly. She squinted her eyes and thought she could make up a head of bright orange hair. Her attention turned in front of her when she bumped into something solid while she ran. Looking forward, Rukia's eyes were level with a man's chest, clad in solid white.

* * *

"You made a big mistake when you went after her, buddy," Ichigo hissed. He decided that he let the fight go on for too long, bringing Rukia into danger needlessly. He concentrated his reiatsu into the zanpakuto in front of him. When Ichigo opened his eyes again, they flashed a bright blue. "Bankai. Tensa Zangetsu."

A black wave of reiatsu took over Ichigo's body, transforming the Shinigami and his blade. He felt himself tighten with power and knew the power surging within himself was bursting to be let out at his enemy. Eyeing the Hollow, Ichigo smirked, knowing that the monster feared this new form. Wordlessly, Ichigo sprung forward through the air, and his black blade sliced through the Hollow, cutting it cleanly in half from the top of its head to between its legs. A bright light engulfed the Hollow, but it took longer for it to dissappear. While Ichigo watched with Zangetsu slung across his shoulders, he heard the Hollow's last words.

"Shinigami, you fool. We were not after you, even from the beginning."

With a loud howl, the Hollow disappeared from the sky.

Ichigo, however, scowled as he searched the ground when the words registered in his head. Then he heard Rukia scream ring through his foolish ears.

* * *

Before she could realize what was happenening, a hand grabbed Rukia's throat and lifted the girl off the ground, her feet kicking helplessly in the air. Her small hands grabbed at the single one cutting off her airways, but there was no use. Rukia stared into the black, unforgiving eyes, but her eyes began to blur with the tears welling up from the pain.

"This can't be a Shinigami, let alone the Kuchiki," the man grumbled in a low voice. His black eyes ran over Rukia's small frame that started to dangle limply in front of him. The girl looked very close to the description Ichimaru Gin had given him, but she did not possess an inkling of reiatsu. He figured he could bring her back to Hueco Mundo, and if it wasn't the right girl, then Gin could kill her later. She coughed in his face. "Pathetic."

Rukia felt unconsciousness taking over her brain from the lack of oxygen. She eyed the man holding her up; he was thick with tan skin. He wore a sleeveless white shirt and white pants. The ball of the shoulder that stretched out to grip her had a number tattooed on the slim muscle: 101. Travelling along the line of his shoulder, Rukia thought she saw a large hole in the middle of his chest. Then she saw no more. "Ichigo," she whispered before succombing to the dark.

The arrancar's eyes widened. "Did she say Ichigo?" he wondered to himself. That was the same name Lord Aizen had advised as a flee-on-sight command for any arrancar venturing into the living world.

Searching around himself, the arrancar noticed something black flying through the air at him. It was only when he focused on the object when he noticed the bright orange hair. Eyeing the girl and then back at the supposed Ichigo, the arrancar dropped the unconscious girl.

_"This girl isn't worth it, especially if she isn't the right person," _he thought to himeslf. Touching a doorway to the next dimension, the arrancar fled through the time rip. "I will not die by the Ryoka's hand, especially if he is as strong as Lord Aizen says he is."

* * *

"Stop Hollow!" Ichigo bellowed when he saw the mysterious figure holding Rukia. "I'll kill you if you've done anything to her!"

Ichigo couldn't travel any faster than the Hollow disappeared through a dimensional rip. He landed on the ground, scooping up an unconscious Rukia in his arms. Easily picking her up in his arms, Ichigo hurried over to the destroyed hut he told Rukia to hide in earlier. He reunited with his body, and ignoring the awkwardness of feeling the weight of human form, Ichigo hurried back to Rukia's side. He kneeled down low, his nerves somewhat calmed upon seeing she breathed regularly now, and Ichigo slipped a hand under Rukia's neck, supporting her head while he tilted it up. His free hand brushed aside the limp tendrils of raven hair and settled on her cheek. Rukia's eyes remained closed, her expression serene.

"What are you putting yourself through, midget?" Ichigo whispered. He dared to meet his lips with her creamy smooth forehead while he murmured in her hair. "Stop trying to scare me. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt."

The two stayed close, with Ichigo cradling Rukia in his arms, for what seemed like hours, but in reality were only minutes. Finally, the warmth from Ichigo's chest roused the small girl from her dreamy world. She blinked her eyes into focus, and Ichigo smiled down upon the emerging violet pools. "Hey," he greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Rukia knew waking up to his smile would be easy. She wrinkled her nose as she moved her head around, taking in their surroundings. "Hey yourself. What happened?"

"There was an earthquake, remember? You got hit in the head by falling debris, and you've been knocked out since then."

Rukia remembered taking shelter in the prayer room during another earthquake, and the debris falling. One look at her surroundings, and Rukia knew her memories were correct. A large hole in the ceiling above her showed that they spent their entire afternoon in the cemetary, and now the sun was moving over for the night. She remembered other things, like Ichigo flying through the air, but she decided that they were probably trauma-induced images from getting clocked in the head. "My brain feels like it's going to explode," groaned Rukia while she tried to stand on her own. Ichigo's hands held her at the waist.

"Can you stand?"

Rukia swatted his hold aside. "I am fine," she grunted. Rukia took a step forward, but her head leaned too much ahead of her body and threatened to topple the girl over if Ichigo didn't snake his arm around her waist.

He gripped her other arm and guided it around his neck, although Rukia was much too short for it to reach. Nonetheless, Ichigo walked while doubled-over, knowing better that Rukia was not able to move on her own. "Come on Stumps, I need you to help me walk you home," Ichigo said while grinning.

Rukia groaned and her head lolled to the side, causing her whole body and therefore also Ichigo, to almost lose their balance. "I don't want to go home, Berry," she mumbled. Her eyes caught Ichigo's. "It's so lonely there. Please, not yet."

"Where do you want to go then? You may be small but you're heavy!"

Rukia half-heartedly slapped at her escort, but Ichigo blocked the attacks. "I dunno, show me some more stuff. You're good at that."

Ichigo stifled the laugh that had risen in his throat. Suddenly he stopped walking, causing more confusion for Rukia, and before she could ask him another question, he scooted himself in front of Rukia, bent down low, and hoisted her upon his shoulders. Rukia squealed a little when he stood to his full height, but she settled easily on his solid back.

She gave him a playful kick as Ichigo picked up speed. "Mush!" she commanded.

Suddenly, Ichigo stopped, but Rukia's head kept going forward and she hit her chin on his thick skull. "If you say that again, I will let go and drop you on your butt, Stumpy."

With a giggle, Rukia wrapped her arms around Ichigo's neck, giving his cheek an innocent little snuggle with her nose. He swatted her face away. "Oh come on Berry, I'm just teasing you." Ichigo still refused to more, so Rukia whispered closer to his sensitive ear. "And I tease you because I like you."

The carrot top turned his head to he could face her, but when he did, Rukia reached out a finger and bopped him on the nose. He pretended to scowl and began to walk again, to Rukia's slightly deliriously-sounding cheers. She didn't know it, but Ichigo decided to take the long way home.

"I wonder what everyone else is doing," Rukia said after they exited the dreary cemetary for the lively bustle of a Friday night in Karakura. From her position on Ichigo's back, she didn't notice he had worked up a deep blush while he walked through the streets while she pointed excitedly at everything and anything interesting they passed. To him, everyone looked like a classmate in one form or another. "You know we never went back to find out what Keigo had planned."

Ichigo craned his neck up. "I can call them. Do you really want to hang out with everyone?"

He felt her shrug. "I think I want to go home, my head still hurts a bit. But I think those would make it feel a lot better!" Ichigo looked towards where she pointed. Her eagerness almost made him laugh; even though she sounded like the niave Shinigami posted for the first time in the living world, there was still a sense of innocence behind her actions, instead of the stubborn Rukia who insisted that she already knew everything, the side of her that managed to annoy Ichigo to no end.

The pig in this piggyback ride walked Rukia over to a window filled with nothing but sweets. Leave it to Rukia to be tempted by desserts, and leave it to a girl to find the single most expensive bakery in Karakura. However looking at her wide, excited eyes, Ichigo didn't have the heart to tell her no. He bent down so they could enter the bakery like civilized people, and Rukia ran forward to move so close to the glass, her nose almost touched it.

"Which one do you want?" Ichigo asked while his eyes also skimmed the treasures for himself.

"Something with big, sweet, red STRAWBERRIES!" Rukia cheered with a giddy voice. Ichigo glared at her for a moment, and upon realizing that he had been had, felt Rukia poke him several times in his belly. They browsed for a few more minutes when Ichigo felt her clutch his sleeve. She pointed silently at a chocolate cake with a wide smile. The cake was called "Death by Sweets", and had basically everything they offered in the bakery; buttercream frosting with assorted fruits between the two layers of chocolate and vanilla cake, covered in dark chocolate frosting and topped with whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, and a big, bright red strawberry on top.

"Rukia, if you eat that, I don't know if I can carry you home," Ichigo smirked. "If I get that for you, you have to promise to be a big girl and walk home on your own feet."

She jut out her arm to punch Ichigo, but he easily caught it in his own and pulled her towards the entrance. It was too smooth of a move for either of them to start blushing. Ichigo ordered a slice of Rukia's cake and asked for a few eclairs for himself. Taking the precious package, they exited the bakery and walked once more.

"Let me hold the desserts!" Rukia skipped. "I want to taste my cake and try your eclairs too!"

"No! I got those for ME," he insisted. Ichigo held the bag up high at the top of his reach, and chuckled while Rukia couldn't even jump to skim her fingers at the bottom of the box.

"That's not fair that you're so freakishly tall!"

Ichigo stopped on their walk while Rukia continued to jump at the stationary target. He put the bag behind him and steadied Rukia with a hand on her shoulders. "Hey, I wanted to show you one more thing," he said with a serious tone.

His golden gaze entranced Rukia, and she stopped moving. He motioned to their right, to what looked like a building with a house connected to the side. "This is my place," said Ichigo. He pointed to the larger building, then to the house. "That's my dad's clinic, so if you ever get hurt and I'm not around, go directly here. Our house is right next door."

Rukia nodded, and he mentioned her to follow him closer to the house. Ichigo pointed to a big window on the second floor. "That's my room. You used to climb up the side of my house and go through my window when you wanted to hang out. If you need anything, don't hesitate to do the same."

"I would do that?"

Ichigo smiled at her big eyes. They seemed to doubt what he had told her, and he knew that telling Rukia that she used to live in his closet wouldn't blow over well either. "Yeah, well, it was kind of our thing. My window probably isn't locked right now because you came over a lot. I'm just telling you in case you wanted to get out of your place, or you're bored or whatever..."

Wanting to save Ichigo from his apparent embarassment, Rukia snatched the bakery bag out of his hand. She smiled before she skipped towards her apartment. "Thanks Ichigo, I appreciate it. My mouth, however, would love to appreciate this cake more, so if we could..."

Rukia's skips changed into a full out sprint, and Ichigo followed, holding back from using shunpo and probably scaring her at the cost of winning. The simple act of running behind her reminded him once more of that night in Soul Society, and even though they had eased into a comfortable place with each other, Ichigo still felt like the girl he knew was still worlds away. He forced himself to focus on the positive and back to the competition at hand. Ichigo wasn't about to lose to the Hobbit One.

"If I get to the house before you, I get to eat an eclair!" Rukia called behind her.

Suddenly, and just as fast as he arrived at the doorway, Ichigo decided that shunpo wouldn't be so bad in terms of eclairs.


	8. Fighting These Feelings

see the west wind move like a lover's soul  
feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth...  
i never make promises lightly  
and there have been some that i've broken  
but i swear in the days still left  
we will walk in fields of gold

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**Fighting These Feelings**

Rukia's cheeks shone a bright red, and her mouth stayed togther, pressed in a tight line through her lips. She walked with her arms crossed around her chest.

"What is wrong with Kuchiki-san?" Orihime asked Ichigo. The two walked at the back of the group a few feet behind Rukia, who walked behind the larger cluster of Eurpoean models, their other classmates, and Keigo, who constantly held a tissue up to his face to clot his chronic nosebleed.

Ichigo eyed the smaller girl in front of him. "She's mad at me."

"What did you do this time?"

"Princess over there is mad at me because she says that I didn't let her eat any of my eclairs last night, EVEN THOUGH I LET HER HAVE AN ENTIRE ONE OF MY TWO. And she's mad that I didn't pick up her bunny's poop, ALTHOUGH I PICKED UP AS MANY AS I SAW ON THE FLOOR," he replied, sure that Rukia could hear their conversation. "IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT HE COULD CRAWL UNDER THE FURNITURE AND POOP THERE TOO."

"Ichigo, it would have taken another thirty seconds for me to run upstairs and put Bunny back in his cage," Rukia yelled back. She didn't bother to turn around to yell at him. "After you left last night, I picked up more poop than you did!"

"You two hung out last night?" Orihime asked quietly. Ichigo shrugged in response. "No wonder why you guys didn't show up at dinner. I was wondering where you were, Kurosaki-kun. I didn't realize you had planned a date, I wouldn't have called you as much as I did."

"It wasn't a date," Ichigo huffed.

"And if it was, it was the WORST date in this HISTORY of HORRIBLE DATES!" added Rukia.

Ichigo felt a twitch in his left eye. "That's not what you were moaning when you were eating it last night! I couldn't even hear the television over you, and now you're saying the cake I bought you was HORRIBLE?! You're the one who picked it!"

"It gave me a STOMACHACHE!"

"Maybe if you weren't such a cow and eaten so much, you wouldn't have had such a bad stomachache!" Ichigo bellowed. He didn't care about the looks he got from the surrounding people, he just wanted to make his point and be right about it. "Or maybe if your stomach wasn't so small, it could take in everything your black-hole of a mouth was taking in!"

Rukia whipped around so her forehead touched Ichigo's, even though it took all of her efforts to grab Ichigo's shirt front and get up on her tippy toes to do it. She gritted her teeth together. "Call me some form of short one more time," she muttered.

Ichigo leaned over, closer to the shorter girl, forcing her back down into the flats of her feet. With a smirk of his own, Ichigo reached up to grab a firm hold on Rukia's small wrist. She could feel the electricity flowing between their bodies as they touched. Rukia couldn't tell if she wanted to pull away and back down, or push her luck even further.

"Rukia-chan," Ichigo cooed in a low, husky voice. Her breath hitched in her throat, not being used to hearing the affectionate familiar used with her name. "I'm thinking it might have been a bad idea to invite you to the Autumn Festival because I'm not quite sure you will make the ride...height...requirements."

Rukia took in a long and deep breath, making her lungs swell with air. She suddenly felt so flustered by the orange-haired wonder that she just quietly exhaled the oxygen she took in, planning her own act of retaliation. Since she couldn't think of a good retort fast enough, Rukia took in a long breath and wrinkled her face in her ugliest cry face. She filled her head with enough sad thoughts that the tears slid freely down her cheeks. Rukia thrust herself upon Keigo with her best helpless damsel act. "Oh Asano-kun, please rescue me. Kurosaki-san is such a brute when it comes to a woman's feelings," she swooned, placing the back of her hand onto her forehead for extra flare.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, but Keigo instantly dropped his tissues to console his Rukia-chan. He threw an arm around Rukia, who shook it off immediately, and glared at his classmate for offending such a beautiful woman. "Ichigo! I should berate you for making an angel cry, but I shall also thank you for bringing her to my must humble of care. Don't worry Kuchiki-san, I will take care of you tonight," he said with much gusto.

The group made their way through the festival entrance, first waiting in a short line to pay the fee. Orihime and Tatsuki led the way, followed by Ishida and Sado. Ichigo didn't know how he managed it on a fifteen year-old's allowance, but Mizuiro paid for all eleven of the European models who strutted around in their traditional Japanese yukata, and of course, for his own beautiful girlfriend who towered a good six inches above him. Ichigo followed behind Keigo and Rukia, who turned around to give him a wink and a thumbs-up when her current escort paid for her entrance fee. He would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't been busy taking in Rukia's silhouette in the sunlight. She wore a lavender sun dress that perfectly matched the hue of her eyes, and Ichigo wouldn't have thought much else about it, except that the skirt poofed out a bit from the layering underneath it, as if it dared him to try to peek under to get a good look at the tantalizing milky white and, ironically, short legs it covered.

"Oi Ichigo!"

A voice called out to him, and he focused on Mizuiro who waved at him with his free arm that wasn't linked with his girlfriend. Ichigo finally nodded in recognition. "Yo."

"Where do you think we should go first?"

Ichigo looked around the carnival area, which was the first expanse they travelled through. Next, at the center of the festival, was a grand stage that hosted several different performances through the day, and beyond this came the local river where visitors placed candlelit blossoms as offerings to those in the afterlife, as well as rows of food stands that looked like it extended for another half mile ahead. It seemed the best plan of action was to stay in the area with rides and laughing people.

Ichigo nodded to the closest ride: a two story haunted house with cheap, slow moving vehicles. "What about that dinky thing?" he suggested.

Mizuiro shrugged and pulled his giggling girlfriend towards the entrance. The group paired off, since each cart only held two passengers, but Sado took the initiative to sit by himself to prevent going over the weight limit. While they waited in line, Rukia leaned in close to Orihime. "Do you think I can sit with you? I don't think I can handle Keigo any more," she asked with a lazy smile.

Orihime nodded, and the two girls slipped into a cart together before anyone could protest, namely Keigo. He mock-fainted into the next cart, next to Ishida who crossed his arms in silent resentment that he had to sit with someone who indulged himself shamelessly in dramatics. Ichigo prepared to step into the next cart when a petite hand clutched his bicep. He turned to look into the emerald green eyes of one of the European models. She smiled, her brilliant white teeth matching the shine in her golden blonde locks. She looked absolutely gorgeous, as a model should, and something devious twinkled in her eyes.

"Be a gentleman and help me in?" she asked. Her voice came across smoothly, like a cat's purr.

Ichigo nodded, and helped the girl into the arriving cart. He made sure to deflect his eyes off to the side when she lowered herself to sit, since anyone standing above her could get an aerial view of her ample chest. "Aren't you coming in with me?" she asked, eyeing Ichigo, who still stood on the loading platform. "My name is Glinda, and I promise I don't bite."

She gave him a little pout, and Ichigo knew this girl knew how to work any hormone-driven boy. Fortunately, he liked his girls feisty. "Sorry Glinda, but Ichi-baka here is my escort!" exclaimed Tatsuki, who flung an arm around her childhood friend. "Have fun on your ride alone, and don't get scared now. Bye-bye!"

The cart began to move away from the dock while Ichigo turned to curiously arch an eyebrow at the spunky girl. "What?" Tatsuki shrugged innocently. Ichigo shook his head before stepping into the next vehicle. As he lowered himself into the cart, Tatsuki gave him a good smack on the back of his head.

"What was that for?!" Ichigo hissed, holding the throbbing area on his skull.

Tatsuki jumped onto the seat next to him. "For that stupid look you were giving Glinda-hime," she sneered. "I don't get what girls see in you Kurosaki. I think I should just spill the beans and tell them you're just a big cry baby."

"I am not!"

"Do you want me to hit you again and we can argue this some more?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, which had to adjust to the low light in the dark carnival ride. A vampire jumped out from his mechanical coffin, and he noticed the sound effects were almost drowned out by the sound of the creaking gears that powered the cheap ride. Turning back to look at his fellow passenger on the "Ride to Hell", Ichigo was met with Tatsuki's nose directly in front of him.

"Boo!" she said flatly. A smirk crossed her face. "Are you crying yet, Kurosaki?"

"Yes, I have a horribly evil girl sitting next to me," Ichigo retorted. He sighed, noting that there were bats flying about the fires of Hades above him, and slouched deeper in the tiny metal cart.

Tatsuki took the opportunity to elbow him in his ribcage. "So what's up with you and Kuchiki? Are you getting anywhere with her?"

Ichigo groaned in immediate response. Ever since Rukia stayed with him in the living world and began going to school with him, all of his classmates made it their personal agenda to find out the romantic situation between him and the Shrimp, as if there was a prize being awarded to the first person who cracked the case. Nowadays, however, Ichigo was sure there it had been an invisible case they needed to crack, one very hard for even him to see. He frowned. "These days, Tatsuki, dating has been the last thing on my mind."

"I was referring to whether she's gotten a good amount of her memories back," Tatsuki replied slowly. The orange-haired one knew better, and he gave her a doubtful look. He knew her too well. "And I laced my question with a bit of double meaning, but who are you kidding Ichigo? You can't deny that something isn't there, and we all ask because we see it. All of us, except for you and Rukia."

"I don't think this is the right time to be talking about this," Ichigo mumbled.

"So when will it be a good time, when you're sixty and finally mature enough to talk about those icky things called feelings and emotions?" she replied. A sickened expression plagued Tatsuki's face when they entered a room full of clowns. She hated clowns. "All I'm saying is that I am your friend, and I have only your best interests in mind. You need to use your handsome face now so you can bag some chick who's gaga over you, so I won't be stuck with your grumpy, prude, pruny ass when nobody wants you."

Ichigo thought his eyes would roll out of his skull, but he couldn't help the smile that played at the corner of his mouth. "Girls aren't gaga over me," he said flatly.

"Well whether that's true or not, as your oldest friend, I promise I will be there for you until you look like _that_," replied Tatsuki as she pointed at the skeleton that dropped from the ceiling to scare them. Neither passenger flinched.

* * *

Rukia feigned absolute terror to mimic the reactions Orihime had to the mechanical displays from hell. She decided that she would try to appreciate the art the ride designers worked hard to create, since that option seemed the best between that, consoling Orihime who gripped her arm to tightly that Rukia became numb, or looking forward and seeing Mizuiro playing tonsil hockey with his girlfriend in the next cart. Rukia looked away from a gruesome scene with a pig in a kitchen apron cutting apart a full-grown man.

"Orihime, I've been meaning to ask you something," Rukia said, turning to the girl next to her.

"Go ahead," croaked Orihime, who looked a little sick from the ride.

"I wanted to know what Ichigo is to me."

Suddenly, it looked like Orihime forgot her discomfort on the ride. Her eyebrows furrowed, almost like she regretting having to be the one who had to talk to Rukia about it. She looked at her hands, and upon letting go of Rukia, moved to grip the lap bar. "Don't you think you should be asking Kurosaki-kun about that?" Orihime replied slowly.

Rukia shrugged. "But you know Ichigo better than me, and I know that he's not into talking about feelings, and I've only been hanging out with him for a few days. I figured I could save myself a lot of time by asking someone else, and you are the first friend I made after my accident, so I really want to hear your opinion."

"Oh, it's not like it was a stretch for me," she said. Orihime took in a deep breath, nervously biting her lip while she contemplated her thoughts. "Well I know I told you that we're all really good friends, but concerning Ichigo and you...none of us really know what exactly you two have."

"What do you mean?"

"Kurosaki-kun is a very private person. Before you came to Karakura, he usually kept to himself, he doesn't really socialize with anyone, and I never see him outside of school. But when you came around, he was out more, and you two were always together. I can't really say why, but you guys were inseperable."

Rukia nodded, her thoughts bringing her elsewhere. She regressed to an elementary schooler's psyche by picking a fight with Ichigo once they joined up with their friends today; after spending all day together with him yesterday, Rukia couldn't deny that she felt something more than friendship with Ichigo. And just as startling, it seemed more than natural for them. But there was no way she wanted to focus on something, an emotion, so trivial compared to the mess her life had become, and somehow she knew, there was no way frown-faced Kurosaki would ever willingly admit to her that he liked her...no matter how much Rukia dreamed that he did.

"He's a pretty mysterious guy, isn't he?" Rukia murmured.

Orihime smiled. "He is very amazing. Kurosaki-kun always manages to surprise me, and although he doesn't socialize much, a lot of people in our class like him. He doesn't like to show it, but he's quite caring and thoughtful."

There was no mistaking the twinkling in Orihime's brown eyes. Rukia could tell that her friend wasn't bothered by the ride anymore, now that their cart trudged through a graveyard scene with the living dead climbing out of their graves, and then a new feeling settled in the pit of Rukia's stomach. With every loving word and observation Orihime rattled off about the carrot top, Rukia suddenly knew that she wasn't the one with the fuzzies, and that her feelings were dwarfed by the other girl's sheer admiration.

"You really know your Ichigo, Orihime," she replied quietly. Rukia gave her a soft smile. "You should tell him, if you like him so much."

The brown saucers grew wide with apparent shock. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly do such a thing." She jumped when a zombie outstretched its mechanical arm - very slowly - towards them. "Besides, Rukia-chan, I think you'd do better if you consider Kurosaki-kun as more than a friend. He likes you."

"I don't think that would be appropriate on my part. I'm going through a bit of a rough patch, if you don't know."

"But Rukia-"

"I'm sorry I made it weird, Orihime," she interrupted. The cart went full circle and returned to the loading dock where Mizuiro and his model friends waited for the rest of the group to meet up. "I think I'm just confused right now. I'm sorry if I asked you so many questions...I'm just not sure about anything anymore. I've been having these weird moments with Ichigo, but I think I'm just reading too much into it. I just...I'm not in love with him right?"

That sad look returned to Orihime's face. It was all Rukia needed to be sure of herself and the decision to avoid more complications in her life. "That look," commented Rukia. "That's all I needed to know. I shouldn't be thinking of a friend like that then...and I won't concern myself with it anymore. Good. I'm glad that's settled."

"Kuchiki-san," Orihime whispered, but the other girl hopped out of the cart faster than she could explain herself. As much as it pained her to see her crush come so close to finding love for himself, Orihime couldn't bring herself to help it along. She hated the selfishness that now surfaced, even now after she had sworn to help out Ichigo wherever he needed it, but Orihime didn't anticipate exactly how hard playing the matchmaking cards would be. While she lamented, someone brushed against her, and she turned to see Ichigo rushing past her. "Kurosaki-kun?"

He looked when he heard her voice. "Oi Inoue, where did Rukia go? I want to find her and make sure she's not really mad at me."

"Plus he needs her to fend off the evil witch Glinda," added Tatsuki. She pointed across the field to another attraction, the House of Mirrors. "I think she's going in there with the Barbie Troop. Let's go, it looks like fun!"

With a cheer, she looped her arms with both Orihime and Ichigo and pulled them to the shiny attraction.

* * *

Rukia followed the group into the House of Mirrors. She immediately separated herself from the group, although not on purpose, when she stepped into the maze of shining glass. Suddenly Rukia felt as lost in the attraction as she was in her head. With the strange images that surfaced whenever her brain decided to confuse her, her present emotions when she was around Ichigo, and the guilt she felt from surviving the accident, Rukia just wanted to feel like a normal teenager. She wanted to enjoy frivolous emotions and play mind games fueled by her hormones, and for once, not have to worry about offending someone else or have to see Orihime's heart breaking in her big eyes. Although she had been slow to realize and admit it, Ichigo became a big reason for her to look forward to tomorrow, and now Rukia couldn't bring herself to look at him again without feeling downright guilty.

Now, she felt like she was trapped in a big, inescapable glass coffin with dozens of Ichigos staring at her.

"Yo Short Stack, you're lower to the ground, so you should be able to look to see if there are mirrors keeping you in by checking the floor," he called out to her. Even his voice surrounded her among the panels of glass.

"What are you talking about Stupid?"

"You're the stupid one," he retorted. Ichigo stuck his tongue out at her, and his visual clones did the same to taunt her from all sides. "You're just standing there like you're a lost little bunny."

Rukia frowned. "I am not lost, I was just thinking!"

"Well stop thinking and get out of there. We're holding up the line for people who want to walk through here," Ichigo retorted.

Sighing, Rukia took a timid step forward, weary of running into a dead end. Ichigo sounded like he had the hang of maneuvering though the maze, but Rukia just wanted to stay away from him and his taunts for a bit. She held up a hand to brace herself for any potential bumps. "Berry, has it ever crossed your mind that I'm trying to separate myself from you?"

"Now why would you want to do that?"

"Because you are so..." A right turn, good.

"...incredibly..." Straight ahead, all clear.

"...absolutely..." Another right, open.

"Infuriating!"

Rukia smacked her forehead right into an undetectable glass panel. She winced and rubbed her throbbing forehead. There was a big smudge on the panel she had run into, and before she could find another route, a firm hand wrapped around the wrist that nursed her surfacing bump. Ichigo looked down, analyzing Rukia's forehead. She felt breathless and incredibly embarrassed while his gaze running over her body with a surprisingly soft expression.

"You'll survive that one, Stump," Ichigo said quietly before leading her by the hand out of the maze, followed by a quiet Orihime and a grinning Tatsuki.

The foursome exited through the other side of the House of Mirrors to rejoin the others, with Orihime taking a special interest in the fluffy cone of Sado's cotton candy. Rukia watched her secretly, all the time wondering what there wasn't to like about the girl. Her body was truly blessed, she had the personality of an angel, and when Rukia compared the other girl to herself, Rukia figured they were in different leagues. Which one Ichigo preferred, it could only be up to him.

"Are you done now?" Ichigo asked after sneaking up next to her when he saw that Rukia stood alone.

Rukia eyed him suspiciously. "Done with you? Yes."

"Oh come on Shrimp, how can you still be mad at me? I rescued you from the maze."

"Not good enough, I still hurt my head."

Ichigo put his hands on his hips, definitely resentful of her last comment. "How about I give you a lesson on being grateful, Short Stack?" Rukia didn't bother to look at him, seemingly more interested in the line of sweets stands aligning the riverbank. He stepped in front of her, purposefully blocking her vision, and bent down so all she could look at was his frowning face. "I'll personally take you home and pick up all of Bunny's poop. AND I will buy you whatever you want to eat from the stands behind me."

Rukia mimicked his stance, trying not to sound impressed by his offer. "Are you that desperate enough to resort to bribery, Berry?"

He shrugged. "You ignoring me isn't the greatest feeling in the world," he mumbled, staring down at the ground. "You're my sidekick, remember?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Rukia stepped to the side so she could move around him. "So after all of those stupid nicknames I have to endure, all I'm reduced to is your little sidekick?" she snapped.

Ichigo didn't know what was going on today. He began to think that a gathering with too many women really made them sync-up and go crazy, since Rukia had been acting too damn weird around him all of a sudden. He turned just as fast to cut her off once more. "Rukia, calm down, I'm just joking here. Not to mention, you were the one who referred to yourself as little." Rukia made a disapproving noise, something crossed between a grunt and a scoff, but Ichigo jumped in front of her again. "Okay, I give up! I'm trying to have a good time with you today, and I have no idea what I did wrong, but you are really mad at me. I hope you know that you mean a lot to me, not just as a sidekick, and I've done everything to be there for you since you came to after the accident."

Rukia couldn't deny the earnestness in his eyes. That electrifying look alone thrilled her deep in her core, and Ichigo continued to pour out the words she wanted to hear. "Please Rukia, don't make me say this again," he continued, lowering his face so he could say it as honestly as he could without anyone else hearing him basically lay down his usual persona for something softer. "I care about you. A lot."

He received a reaction he wasn't expecting when a sad smile crossed Rukia's face. As much as she enjoyed seeing this different and private side of Ichigo, she couldn't help the images of Orihime's own sad face burning in her mind. Rukia knew that in her new life, she couldn't be selfish. "I'm not sure I'm the person you should be saying that to," she said quietly but meeting his gaze. She was addicted to his eyes. "I'm sorry Ichigo. Let's enjoy today, okay?"

She smiled wider, but apprehension still plagued Ichigo. It annoyed him to no end that Rukia accustomed herself to human girl ways, back when she first came from Soul Society and even now, with her changing moods. Ichigo remembered why he never bothered with girls to begin with.

* * *

Shoving his hands into his pockets, for a lack of a better thing to do, Ichigo walked over to the nearest food stand and ordered some pork odango for himself...and some sweets to lure a certain ex-Shinigami back onto his good side. He ate the portable food while he stood watching his friends try their luck at a throwing game. Keigo, Muzuiro, Sado, and Tatsuki standing around a booth with several pyramids of wooden bottles standing on individual platforms. For a small fee, the player threw two ratty-looking baseballs at the pile to try to knock all of the bottles off their stand. If you succeeded, you won a plush toy, although it was clear to Ichigo that their group's participants were going for bragging rights.

Keigo was the first to slap his money down and played around with his first baseball in his hand for a bit. Then closing one eye and sticking out his tongue for form, he hurled the ball with all of his might. He successfully knocked off the top bottle, leaving five more underneath in the stack. Keigo let out a small squee that sounded like he hurt himself by overextending his shoulder, but he reached for his second ball without hesitation. He threw and completely missed the target completely. His head hung low in defeat.

Mizuiro stood next in line. He hadn't touched a ball yet, but his fan group cheered him on. His first throw knocked off the top three bottles, and the girls erupted in cheers. Mizuiro threw again, and even though he failed to clear the bottles from the stand, his girlfriend ran up to kiss him senselessly. The booth attendant gave her a small teddy bear in consolation for his efforts, but probably more for thanks to Mizuiro for bringing the models to his lonely booth.

Tatsuki tried her luck next, pushing up her right sleeve to give her arm full range of motion. She threw the ball at the base of the stack, clearing all but a single wooden bottle from the stand. Keigo let out a defeated sigh, pumping the girl up more, and she threw her second baseball to knock the bottle down. The attendant gave her a bear twice the size of Mizuiro's.

Tatsuki's pride was short lived when Sado silently stood at the front of the booth. He paid for his attempts, and gripping the tiny ball in his big hand, Sado reached back before throwing. He cleared the pyramid in a single try. The attendant gave him a giant bear the size of Tatsuki, who glared at the winner.

Ichigo chuckled to himself before looking at the booth next door. He heard Orihime's high-pitched voice cheer on Ishida, who carefully aimed a dart at a wall of balloons. There were several around the entire display, some closer to the thrower and larger in size, while some here farther back and smaller, to increase the game's difficulty. Littered throughout were moving objects meant to block the possible dart assault. Ichigo heard a loud pop, followed immediately by Orihime's laughter, and when he looked over, she was now clutching a large purple platypus-looking creature with a big smile on her face. He smirked when his latest idea popped into his head. Ichigo walked over to Keigo and motioned him over to a new game.

"Hey Asano-baka, let's give you a chance to redeem yourself."

Keigo sobbed and nodded quietly. The group walked together over towards a twenty-foot scale that measured the strength of the person who hit the base to send off a large metal block up towards a bell at the top. Ichigo grabbed Keigo by the shoulder, gripping his friend a little more than roughly when Keigo tried to walk away and avoid more humiliation, but Ichigo managed to successfully bring him to the game. His other hand held onto a big cone of cotton candy, which he meant to give to Rukia, but hadn't been able to spot in a while.

The raven-haired girl had been lured away from the group with the promise of multi-flavored slushees and funnell cakes. Rukia topped her funnell cake with a snowy pile of powdered sugar and cinnamon apples, and then somehow managed to balance her large place in one hand while she filled a wide, two foot tall wishbone glass with a blue raspberry slushee. She tried to eye where her group wandered off to now when something soft bumped into her.

"My funnel cake!" Rukia gasped when she felt it started to slide off her hand, but someone flew by her side to help her. She looked up to see Ishida's square glasses shining on his face.

"Kuchiki-san!" he said, holding the side of her plate. Some of the powdered sugar flew onto his hand, but his eyes grew wide at the amount of sweets the tiny girl held unabashedly. "Is this all for you?"

"Yup. Do you want some?" Ishida shook his head as he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hands clean. Orihime peeked from around her giant stuffed animal to give the other girl a timid smile. Rukia's eyebrows stretched high to show her approval. "That's an awesome...thing, Orihime. Do you have enough room at home for it?"

She nodded. "I think I can manage." Orihime's eyes dropped. "Listen Rukia, I'm really sorry about before-"

"Don't worry about it. I didn't mean to make it awkward when we're supposed to be enjoying ourselves." Rukia gave her a genuine smile, offering her plate to Orihime, but she shook her head no. "I'd ask Ishida to win me one of those, but I don't have the hands for it at the moment."

Orihime moved closer to Rukia, making her jump a little. "Then you better eat quick because I think someone is trying to win you one as well."

The two girls, with Ishida in tow, walked to the latest competition.

* * *

"Guys, guys, I really think I hurt my arm at the throwing game," Keigo protested, feeling the weight of the European models' stares on his back. He didn't want to embarrass himself and get beaten by a girl again. He could deal getting beat by his guy friends, but being humiliated by Tatsuki didn't sit so well with him. "I don't think my doctor will appreciate this!"

"Don't be a baby Asano!" Tatsuki yelled at him before shoving him to the stand holding various-sized hammers.

He let out an audible groan, chose the smallest hammer, and poised it over his shoulder. "Good luck, Keigo!" came a high pitched voice. Keigo looked over to see one of the models waving at him, a rosy blush on her face. Two of her friends then clung onto her, the trio erupting in light-hearted giggles. Suddenly, Keigo felt very brave and energized, and with all of his strength and his masculinity on the line, he swung the hammer at the spring. The scale registered the hit at "Manly Girl", rising exactly to the half-way mark. Keigo hung his head low again, but the model who had cheered him on quickly ran to his side. She had bright cerulean eyes and platinum blonde hair, and from Keigo's point of view, a great rack to cry onto. The model cooed something in Swedish, and although he couldn't understand what she was saying, it still sounded like music descending down from the Heavens.

Tatsuki shook her head when she watched Keigo basically melt into the bountiful crevices in the foreigner's chest. She chose the medium-sized hammer for her go at the strength test, and after a few practice swings, Tatsuki sent the metal block up to the panel directly above Keigo's, ranking her as a "Knock-Out". She wanted to flash him a smirk, but then remembered that Sado was following up after her. The silent classmate took the largest hammer in his hands, swung it once, and sent the metal knocker up to the top of the machine, just shy of hitting the bell at the top. The attendant gave him an inflatable hammer that squeaked every time you hit it against something as a consolation prize.

"I'm going to beat that," Ichigo said, gently elbowing Rukia in her side. The two had been standing off to the side of the game, and Rukia ate her funnel cake in sugary bliss while watching the friendly competition. She managed to pack away the dessert faster than she anticipated, especially knowing that Ichigo was sneaking sideways looks at her while she ate.

Rukia shot him an disbelieving look, and Ichigo handed her the stick of cotton candy he had been holding since the baseball booth. "Hold it," he commanded. "Eat it."

She stuck out her tongue, but once Ichigo stepped towards his choice of hammers, her fingers immediately picked at the sugary confection. Her eyes, however, did manage to wander beyond the cotton candy to watch Ichigo's attempt at the game.

Ichigo weighed the largest hammer and decided upon it as his weapon. It felt slightly lighter than Zangetsu and clearly shorter than what he was used to wielding. Although he was still in his human body, and Ichigo never really had the greatest control over his reiatsu, but he pretended like he was about to set off a big Getsuga Tenshou. With a single, devastating swing, Ichigo threw the hammer over his shoulder, sending the metal knocker straight up into the bell, making the entire machine erupt in lights and energetic music. The models all cheered, and as he walked back over to Rukia, Glinda took the opportunity to congratulate him personally.

"Great job, Ichi," she purred, running her hand down Ichigo's defined bicep.

Not wanting another freak out from Rukia, he just nodded back at Glinda before smirking at his cotton candy holder. He wanted her to know that he wanted to show off just for her.

"I can't believe you've been holding onto this clump of pink cotton candy all this time," Rukia said, not even bothering to acknowledge his accomplishment. "I like the blue better."

Ichigo shrugged and led her closer to the attendant by the wall of prizes. He had his choice of any of the prizes, including an array of giant stuffed animals. "Pick one."

"Would you stop bossing me around?"

"Would you stop acting like you're still mad at me?" he replied flatly. "I've decided that I'm going to have fun with you, whether you comply or not. Now pick something."

Rukia pouted a bit as her eyes glided over the numerous choices. She looked back at the winner. "Which one should I pick?"

"I thought it'd be obvious," replied Ichigo. He couldn't believe he was about to say it, and he needed a deep breath to steady himself, but he couldn't imagine Rukia cuddling anything else besides a giant Chappy the same size as her. He pointed at the stuffed animal. "Get that one."

Rukia shoved the last of the cotton candy into her mouth and gave the paper stick back to Ichigo so she could wrap her arms around the giant rabbit. It was lighter than it looked, and she was sure it would just end up in a corner in her apartment, but she would make it a point to snuggle up against it once in a while, just so she could remind herself that Ichigo had won it just for her. Rukia smiled at the thought. However Orihime felt about Ichigo and how much it discouraged her before, Rukia was sure where his affections lay, and surprisingly, she was more embarrassed that she was left toting the giant mass around for the rest of the festival while Ichigo stole her slushee cup, finishing the liquid goodness.

* * *

She struggled holding the bear as night fell over the Autumn Festival. "Ichigo, would you hold this monstrosity of a toy?" Rukia groaned, her arms burning from being stretched out for so long.

"I won it for you, so you should appreciate it," he replied coolly.

"My arms are so tired from appreciating it that Chappy is about to take a ride down the river," she muttered.

Chuckling softly, Ichigo took the teddy bear as they walked along the river's edge. The noise of the festival rang on, but the two took a stroll down the river banks to watch the paper lotuses float along, lighting the way for departed spirits with the tea lights inside them. The rest of the group had stopped to eat and watch the traditional drum show, but Rukia didn't feel like staying around everyone, especially when one of the models kept giving her some kind of death stare. She slipped away under the guise that she was getting more food, and Ichigo followed her when he watched her slip beyond the food booths.

"The lights are so pretty," Rukia sighed offhandedly.

"Have you heard anything about your sister's funeral?" asked Ichigo. He eyed Rukia's expression, which seemed down all day despite the entertainment and diversions it offered. He suspected that something was bothering her, and watching the lotus blossoms float didn't seem to be helping, no matter how much Rukia complemented them.

"I don't know, Berry. Everything in my life is so confusing now, and I can't help..." Rukia's voice trailed off, and she looked at him with wide eyes, somewhat fearful of what she was about to say. But she wanted to know the truth. "Ichigo...I don't know if I should be near you anymore."

Ichigo's frustrations crossed his face in a frown. He dropped the chappy doll on its bottom. "What are you getting at now? I'm really tired of your issues, Short Stack."

Rukia covered her face with her hands, and in the darkness, the visions came back to her as vivid as when she first saw them. She hadn't slept very well the night before because she kept having nightmares; Rukia didn't know how many more sleepless nights she could endure. Even as she sorted her thoughts to convey to Ichigo, her forehead began to perspire and her heart sped up. The images she saw were too real, too familiar to not have happened before. There was no way anyone could think of these things on their own.

"I see these things...images of something," Rukia said shakily. She dropped to her knees, tired of supporting herself, and Ichigo knelt next to her. She felt his arms wrap firmly around her from the side, and Rukis could head the loud and furious thump of Ichigo's heart against his chest. For some reason, he was just as nervous hearing what Rukia had to say. "There was one of you in a rainy street, covered in blood. You flying with a giant wing. Swords, blood, fire...sometimes all I see is fire. It's always when I'm with you, and they're always of you."

In the darkness of her hands, Rukia slowly felt the tears surfacing and running down her cheeks. There had to be a reason Ichigo was the one holding her, the one person she could visibly remember from some other life, and the one by her side now, even though out of all of her friends, he seemed the least likely to be the most supportive. She pressed closer to his firm chest, clutching at the front of his shirt, ashamed of the mess she easily crumbled to. Her voice barely came out when she felt the soreness in her ragged throat, and the fingers of her free hand gently traced the skin there now moist from fresh tears. "The earthquake yesterday...there was a man. I thought I was dreaming, or a side effect from when I got hit with whatever, but I know I saw him." If Rukia looked up, she could see a deep frown settling on Ichigo's face. Still, he sat silently. "101...Berry, tell me that I'm not going crazy."

Ichigo let out a long sigh. He needed to talk to Urahara _now_. He couldn't be sure of the scenes Rukia was describing, but his imagination took the liberty to determine they were memories from when he rescued her from Soul Society, and Ichigo felt guilty for lying to her about the attack at the cemetary. He had one arm wrapped securely around her shoulders, but Ichigo let his other hand roam freely in her soft hair, instantaneously remembering the sensational tickling at his fingertips. "Rukia, I really wish that you could remember your past. There is nothing that I want more than for you to remember everything, and I'm afraid that you wouldn't believe me even if I told you what little I know about your life."

"So you can't tell me anything? Am I just stressed?"

"Stumps, I think it'd be best if you didn't read into things so much. You'll be better off doing that."

"Then those visions are real? They actually happened?"

Ichigo shook his head. Forget about lying to her, he needed to put her safety first. "For you, they can't be real. Don't worry about that stuff anymore, okay?"

"But then...what about these feelings?" A blush heated Rukia's face. She purposefully omitted the image of her and Ichigo kissing under the stars, on a night much like the one they currently sat under. She knew if she told Ichigo what she saw, it would send him running for the mountains. "I asked Orihime if there was something going on between you two, because it seems to me that she really likes you."

"Inoue?!" Ichigo gawked. He took back his arms and crossed them over his chest, his displeasure clearly visible in his chiseled features. "Why would you ask her something like that? She's my friend!"

Rukia cast her eyes down. "I just wanted to know, so I asked." She covered her face again, ready to test the waters. "I didn't want to feel guilty about...how I've been feeling about you."

It seemed like hours while she sat and waited for Ichigo's response, but there was only silence. Finally, Rukia peeked through her fingers to see Ichigo laying out, leaning back on his elbows, a smirk clearly visible in the moonlight. Her first instinct was to hit him on the stomach. "What's so funny?!" Rukia hissed. People could probably sense her mortification all the way back at the festival.

"So you still like me, huh?"

"What?"

Ichigo leaned on his side casually, his cocky smile irritating Rukia to no end. "You went away, before your accident and right before you lost your memory. But when you left, you kissed me. I swore that I would tease you to no end the next time I saw you after, but you came back like this, toting all of this emotional baggage." His voice lowered to a softer tone. "I didn't think to tell you right away that maybe we possibly had something going, because to be honest, we didn't really have much to go on up until that kiss...I mean, I thought we were just friends." Ichigo's cheeks burned with heat. "But I guess I'm glad you came to that conclusion on your own."

Rukia ran her hands through her hair, tracing Ichigo's touch on her body. She pressed her palms on her cheeks, but he pulled one of her hands away and brushed her fingertips against his lips. Rukia drew in a sharp breath, feeling a softness she never imagined against his body. She froze under Ichigo's steelly gaze, waiting for the impact of his nearing handsome face. He was going to kiss her, and Rukia was excited for it. Instead of aiming for her mouth, Ichigo moved to the side, leaving soft kisses on the underside of her jaw, moving painfully slow towards her ear. Rukia had to bite her bottom lip to avoid emitting little moans that escaped in long sighs. She never imagined Ichigo as sensual as he was now, but one look into his piercing eyes reminded her that Ichigo was full of surprises.

"We're nakama, Rukia," he whispered huskily, the hot breath tickling Rukia to her core. "I promised to always protect you."

Rukia turned her head and murmured his name, but he silenced her with his lips upon hers. It wasn't rough and Ichigo didn't smother her with his embrace, but kissed her with a plesantly light pressure that made Rukia lean into him more to deepen it. She reached up to cup his cheek with her small hand, explore his skin, and reassure herself that this wasn't a dream. Rukia didn't know where she came from, what she had been through, or who she even was, but she hoped with all of her heart that she could let all of that go and focus on the man she kissed now, without any of her troubles coming around to doubt her.

"Hey lovebirds! The firewords are about to start!"

Ichigo stiffened and tore himself away from Rukia, choosing to glare at Tatsuki, who waved at the two innocently from the top of the hill. She shot Ichigo a knowing look before turning around to find a spot on higher ground. Thororoughly embarassed, Ichigo ran a hand through his hair, letting out a long sigh. "There went my attempt to be some kind of smooth."

"You aren't so bad, Kurosaki," Rukia smiled back at him. She jumped up and began to run up the hill. "And thanks for carrying Chappy for me!"

Ichigo gawked at her for a moment, but she ran too far away from him to protest. He grabbed the giant stuffed animal before following her up the hill.

Rejoining the group just in time for the start of the fireworks show, Ichigo tilted his head up to watch the colorful explosions against the black night sky disturbed by several shining stars and a full moon. He remembered the night Rukia passed through his room the first time they met. It was a full moon then as well. Never did he imagine the Shinigami would have impacted his life by twisting their fates together when she gave him her powers, and Ichigo felt like he needed to do the same for her now. The next day, he had to talk to Urahara and decide the best way to get her memory back. As much as he enoyed Rukia's attentions and her company once again, Ichigo felt guilty that he wooed the shell of the person she used to be. It was easier sorting out his feelings to this newer, more vulnerable Rukia, since the old one probably would have punched him for trying to kiss her, but that was exactly the girl he had fallen for, with the attitude, temper, stubbornness, and all. Somehow, Ichigo had to get her back, and this decision was reinforced when he felt a small hand secretly brush against his. He looked down to smile at Rukia, but she was busy looking up at the fireworks display. He closed his larger hand upon hers, ready to once again take up the fight for the girl next to him.

* * *

**ugh. i'm sorry to say that this isn't my favorite chapter...i should be able to pick up the pace and the story after i got this out of the way. i'm sorry for the long wait, but i really would like to hear what you'd like to see happen before the end of the story, which i have mapped out already. any and all criticisms are welcome; i'm really trying not to disappoint the bunches of people who have been excited for what i've already presented, but this chappy was kind of a bummer for me. thanks for the support though!!**


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